BBNBA: Devin Booker drops 40 in Suns' 21-point comeback win

No lead is safe in today’s NBA, no matter how large it might be. That point was proven true on Thursday night when the Phoenix Suns overcame a 21-point first-half deficit to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 125-119. Suns fans can thank Devin Booker for leading the charge.

Booker exploded for 40 points in the comeback win, shooting 11-18 from the field and 5-9 from long range in 37 minutes. He also chipped in five rebounds, eight assists, and three steals while turning the ball over just twice. His three-pointer in the corner with 5:15 left in the game gave Phoenix a 108-105 advantage that they would not give back. Booker and Kevin Durant combined for 20 points in the third quarter as the Suns went on to score 73 second-half points.

Also, as a weird (but true) stat, Booker now holds the scoring record in five different NBA arenas. The Clippers recently unveiled its new arena, the Intuit Dome, to start the 2024-25 season, so only a handful of games have been played there, but Booker was the first to light it up. The former Kentucky Wildcat also holds scoring records at Boston’s TD Garden (70 points), Indiana’s Gainbridge Fieldhouse (62), Utah’s Delta Center (59), and Phoenix’s Footprint Center (58).

Booker, who turned 28 years old on Oct. 30, has the Suns off to a 4-1 start to the season. His 18 made three-pointers through five games are the most in franchise history to start a season.

Other BBNBA notes

• It was another slow night for Houston Rockets rookie Reed Sheppard. In his fifth-ever NBA game, Sheppard played just five minutes, recording two points and one rebound along the way. His playing time came in between the first and second quarters during a close game. He never saw the floor again. Sheppard, the No. 3 overall pick in the draft, is averaging just 8.6 minutes per game.
• Sheppard’s team at least picked up the win though. The Rockets beat the Dallas Mavericks 108-102. PJ Washington went for six points, nine rebounds, three steals, and three blocks in 37 minutes for Dallas.
• Lastly, Keldon Johnson and the San Antonio Spurs picked up an easy 106-88 win over the Utah Jazz. Johnson recorded 13 points and four rebounds, but on a rough 3-10 shooting (1-6 3PT) clip. For the Jazz, Johnny Juzang failed to score in his 13 minutes while Oscar Tshiebwe did not play.

10/31/24 statistics

Player	Score	PTS	FG (3PT)	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	+/-	MIN
Devin Booker (PHX)	125-119 W @ LAC	40	11-18 (5-9)	5	8	3	0	2	20	37
Keldon Johnson (SAS)	106-88 W @ UTA	13	3-10 (1-6)	4	0	1	0	2	6	27
PJ Washington (DAL)	108-102 L vs. HOU	6	3-6 (0-2)	9	1	3	3	1	-3	37
Reed Sheppard (HOU)	108-102 W @ DAL	2	1-1	1	0	0	0	0	5	5
Johnny Juzang (UTA)	106-88 L vs. SAS	0	0-2 (0-1)	2	0	0	0	1	-15	13
Chris Livingston (MIL)	122-99 L @ MEM	DNP	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
TyTy Washington (PHX)	125-119 W @ LAC	DNP	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Oscar Tshiebwe (UTA)	106-88 L vs. SAS	DNP	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—

Tonight in the NBA

• 7:00 PM | Knicks (Toppin, Towns) @ Pistons
• 7:00 PM (ESPN) | Magic @ Cavaliers
• 7:00 PM | Celtics @ Hornets (Richards)
• 7:30 PM | Lakers (Davis, Vanderbilt: out) @ Raptors (Quickley: doubtful)
• 7:30 PM | Bulls @ Nets
• 7:30 PM | Kings (Fox, Lyles, Monk) @ Hawks
• 8:00 PM | Pacers (Jackson) @ Pelicans (Boston, Reeves)
• 9:30 PM (ESPN) | Nuggets (Murray) @ Timberwolves (Dillingham, Randle)
• 10:00 PM | Thunder (Gilgeous-Alexander, Wallace) @ Trail Blazers (Sharpe: out)