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As precious seconds ticked off the clock late in Thursday night’s matchup between the Phoenix Suns and Charlotte Hornets, it was abundantly clear that Charlotte was attempting to intentionally foul Devin Booker. And Booker? He was ready and willing to accept that foul.
Unfortunately, head official Scott Foster apparently had his attention elsewhere, despite the action unfolding approximately five feet in front of him. Perhaps he was looking into the front row, spotted Steve Nash, and began reminiscing about the good old days when he and his fellow officials allowed opponents to assault the two-time MVP with little consequence. Maybe he noticed Brandon Rafi sitting courtside and started thinking about calling Rafi Rafi the next time he needs a lawyer. Whatever was occupying his attention, it certainly wasn’t the intentional foul taking place directly in front of him.
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Booker responded with that familiar piercing stare, the one we’ve seen countless times when he’s wondering how an official could possibly miss something so obvious. But there was still a basketball game to finish, and with Sion James approaching to provide a double team, Booker decided to take matters into his own hands. He dribbled left, rose up, and buried a 28-footer that effectively sealed the victory for Phoenix.
No whistle? No problem. Sometimes the best response to questionable officiating is to make the officials irrelevant. And in that moment, Devin Booker did exactly that.
That moment encapsulated just how great Devin Booker has been to begin this season, with the exception of his three-point performance against Oklahoma City. For a team navigating a discombobulated, duplicative roster that is ultimately going to go as far as Booker can carry it, the Suns’ franchise cornerstone has been delivering. Nowhere has that been more evident than in the clutch.
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Booker scored nine points in clutch time against Charlotte, continuing an impressive stretch of late-game execution. Through four clutch appearances this season, he’s shooting 66.7% from the field, 50% from beyond the arc, and has a +8 plus/minus. Those are encouraging…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/devin-booker-clutch-scoring-carries-020000740.html
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Publish date : 2026-11-14 02:00:00
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