"Booker and Durant Lead the Way as Phoenix Suns Win Game 3 Against Nuggets"

2023-05-06 06:41:31

Dominated in the first two games in Denver, the Suns had no real choice but to win in Phoenix tonight. Mission accomplished. It was tough, but when you have Devin Booker and Kevin Durant scoring 86 points at two for your team, it’s okay.

Game 3 statistics

“They knew what to do to win this game.”

This is what coach Monty Williams said after the Suns’ victory in Game 3 tonight (121-114). If the meeting had to be summed up in one sentence, it would be this.

47 points, 6 rebounds, 9 assists, 3 steals and 1 block in 42 minutes for Devin Booker. 39 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 blocks and 0 loss of ball in 43 minutes for Kevin Durant. The numbers speak for themselves. The first was on a cloud from the first to the 48th minute (20/25 shooting!), While the second increased in power as the meeting progressed. KD had a difficult start to the game against Aaron Gordon (12/31 in shooting in all), before finding his rhythm by going to the free throw line and then becoming Kevin Durant.

86 points out of 121 therefore for the two monsters. And it took all of this huge statistical production to allow Phoenix to relaunch in the series, the Cactus being deprived of Chris Paul while evolving with a Deandre Ayton next to the plate (4 points and 9 rebounds at 2 / 6 shooting, 26 minutes only, benched at the end of the match).

Devin Booker and KD showed out in the Valley for Game 3???? pic.twitter.com/ghycv6Vpd6

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 6, 2023

Before this Game 3 in Phoenix, we wondered which role players were going to step-up to help the Suns superstar duo. Because whatever we say, beat the Nuggets two is a complicated or even impossible task. If the numbers give the impression that Phoenix just won with two, some substitutes have raised their level of play to impact the meeting beyond the numbers.

We think of the pivot Jock Landale (6 points, 9 rebounds in 22 minutes), much more impactful than Ayton off the bench. We think of T. J. Warren, who took advantage of his first minutes in the series to show that he always knew how to put the orange ball in the basket (7 points including 5 in the last three minutes of the match). Terrence Ross, also called up by Monty Williams, added 5 points while Cam Payne (7 points, 6 assists) tried to contribute in place of Chris Paul in the major five.

Devin Booker + Kevin Durant tonight:

85 points
17 passes
3 interceptions
32/56 shooting
6/13 three-point
15/17 on free throws

The rest of the Phoenix Suns:

36 points
7 passes
2 interceptions
16/39 shooting
3/15 three point
0/0 on free throws

— TrashTalk (@TrashTalk_fr) May 6, 2023

Nothing crazy huh, but in the end it all allowed the Suns to resist Nikola Jokic’s huge triple-double (30 points, 17 rebounds, 17 assists), 21 points from Michael Porter Jr., and three big first quarters of Jamal Murray (32 points), in bubble mode before bursting in the final period for lack of juice. The Nuggets took a big sunburn in the second quarter (-17) and even though they hung on to the end (Denver went ahead in the third), they never got over it.

Obviously, there is no reason to panic on the Denver side. The Nuggets still lead 2-1 in the series, and therefore remain in a good position before a Game 4 which could represent a turning point. The advantage for Michael Malone’s men is that the Durant – Booker duo (43 and 42 minutes respectively) still had to tap into the reserves to snatch a victory, which could be costly at some point. Especially with a CP3 still out for Sunday. Especially with an Ayton who seems to be sulking once again…