Devin Booker Only Got Xavier Tillman’s Apology After Controversial Ref Call on Season-Threatening Injury Scare

Phoenix returned Devin Booker to the lineup for tonight’s rematch against the Boston Celtics.  Suns superstar Booker missed Saturday’s game on account of an ankle injury. Despite Booker’s return, the Phoenix Suns (38-28) fell to the Boston Celtics (52-14) by a score of 127-112 in Boston tonight. But that wasn’t all the drama that unfolded! Apparently, recently acquired Xavier Tillman, fresh off the Celtics bench, fouled on Booker and it wasn’t called out by the referee. However, Tillman offered an apology!

In the post-game interview, Devin Booker stated, “He just apologized. Said they seen it, should have called it. I don’t know how that works, but at least I got an apology.” Booker, who is suffering from a major ankle problem, further elaborated, saying, “Some shots that I take, I can kinda feel somebody under me. You know it takes you off your balance. You know I don’t wanna prove a point…it’s a dangerous play, but it happens often, especially against shooters.“

Devin Booker Back, But Suns Still Sunken

In a tale of two rematches, the Boston Celtics emerged victorious over the Phoenix Suns, securing back-to-back wins. Devin Booker, the Suns’  missed the 1st showdown due to an ankle sprain. He got back into action tonight, leading his team with 23 points, 2 rebounds, and 7 assists.

The Celtics floated through without their big man, Kristaps Porzingis, who remains sidelined with a hamstring issue. His absence didn’t faze Boston while they repeated their dominance over a Booker-less Suns team from last week. Even a season-high 45-point performance by Kevin Durant couldn’t prevent the Suns from falling short on Saturday last week.

In the rematch, Booker started slow, finding his groove later in the game (9 for 20 shooting). Meanwhile, the Celtics’ All-Star duo, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown put on a first-half masterclass, combining for a whopping 43 points before the break. Tatum came through with a late surge just before halftime, scoring 7 of Boston’s final 10 points, including back-to-back daggers from downtown over Durant.

The opening quarter was a battle between Durant and Tatum. Durant bagged 15 points in the 1st quarter alone, connecting on a stellar 7 of 8 shots. Tatum wasn’t far behind, pouring in 13 points with a 6 for 9 shooting performance. Despite the Suns controlling the boards in the first half (27-13), Boston managed to secure the win.

 Uncalled fouls on Booker had the refs looking like they had hefty wagers in the mix. Rudy Gobert’s allegations against the Referees are taking the NBA by storm, the situation becomes a bit precarious. While Tillman’s admission highlights “non-call”, an apology from the referees might be a good start. What do you think of the lack of a call? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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