The Phoenix Suns mostly depended on the scoring prowess of Devin Booker as they entered Game 4. The Bucks, on the other hand, took time to find their offense as both Jrue Holiday and Pat Connaughton struggled to score.
After the halftime ended with both teams 52 apiece, the Suns took off with a 5-0 start to the third quarter. However, it was just Book who was mostly cooking alone as none of the Suns players got double figures for the initial three quarters.
The mid-range fadeaway is pure.
No answer for Devin Booker tonight 🔥
🎥 @NBApic.twitter.com/1RdE0npEmx
— The Athletic NBA (@TheAthleticNBA) July 15, 2021
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Devin Booker with a huge record to his name
Devin Booker went 3/14 in Game 3, scoring just 10 points and becoming the reason the Suns lost in a blowout victory for the Bucks. But the youngster got his acts together in Game 4 as he started with 3/4 in the first five minutes of the game. He finished the first half with 20 points and scored 18/30 Suns points in Q3. This one-of-a-kind indicidual performance got him into the record books of the NBA.
The 24-YO now has the most points (and counting) in a player’s debut playoff series. With this, he has beaten several legends and also the youthful Trae Young.
Most points in their first NBA Playoffs:
Devin Booker 522
Rick Barry 521
Julius Erving 518
Trae Young 4613Q: https://t.co/AYipQpeyBw#RallyTheValley pic.twitter.com/j0aurJPICH
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) July 15, 2021
The NBA Finals’ Game 4 was Booker’s 20th game in the series and he is currently averaging close to 27 points.
Read more – ‘Chasing Greatness’: Jamal Crawford Shows Respect to Phoenix Suns’ Devin Booker for His Winning Attitude
Phoenix Suns vs Bucks: How the strategies fell in place
The best thing that the Bucks did tonight was placing Jrue Holiday on Chris Paul. Jrue, who struggled offensively, was at an elite level in defending the dangerous point guard. As a result, CP3 had just 2 points (1/5) entering Q3. Apart from him, DeAndre Ayton, who was stunning at grabbing defensive rebounds, wasn’t as good at scoring. However, it was worth noting how coach Monty Williams kept DA on bench before halftime to keep an anchor on his two fouls.
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NO ONE IS STOPPING BOOK.
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) July 15, 2021
Notably, Giannis Antetokounmpo had earlier mentioned how the opponents placing double/triple team walls on him helped him gain trust in his teammates. Now, the Bucks could’ve built similar wall on DBook for the third quarter knowing that the mad man was cooking from everywhere while his unit struggled. But that didn’t happen and it led to the youngster going 7/7 in Q3.
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After all tide in favour of Book, it was just his 5th foul and a signal towards the bench that worried the Suns. Do you think this was a crucial point in the game? Help us know in the comments.
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