Devin Booker brilliant, needs to get more help from stagnant Suns

PHOENIX (AP) — When Devin Booker took his usual seat on the bench at the beginning of the second quarter, the Phoenix Suns lost their stranglehold on Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

On Saturday night, Booker racked up 11 points and helped the Suns establish a 16-point lead against the Milwaukee Bucks. The Footprint Center was buzzing with excitement and Phoenix seemed incapable of missing a shot.

Things took a turn after that. In the ensuing 5 minutes and 46 seconds, the Bucks initiated their resurgence.

When Booker came back into the game with 6:14 remaining in the second, the Suns’ advantage had almost vanished. The Bucks seized the momentum and held onto it, propelling them to a 123-119 victory and a 3-2 lead in the series. The action now moves back to Milwaukee for Game 6 on Tuesday night.

“We accomplished our initial goal, which was to start off strong, but we lost our grip,” said Booker. “They remained steadfast and continued to play on. Thus, it was a hard loss for us.”

For the second game in a row, Booker put on an impressive performance, scoring 40 points with a 17-for-33 shooting record, following his 42-point performance in the Game 4 loss.

However, the rest of the Suns were either inconsistent or simply not present.

Phoenix’s offense appeared stagnant, heavily depending on Booker to create scoring opportunities alone. This was evident during a critical possession in the last minute when Booker went for the basket. The Bucks’ defense tightened, and Milwaukee’s point guard, Jrue Holiday, snatched the ball in a game-winning steal.

“We need to circulate the ball,” stated Monty Williams, the coach of the Suns. “We’re aware of Book’s capabilities with the ball, but our focus was on penetrating the paint and locating our men on the opposite side. We believe this is a successful strategy. At certain moments tonight, the ball was just a bit stagnant.”

For the third game in a row, Holiday outperformed Chris Paul of Phoenix. Deandre Ayton managed to score 20 points, however, his usual defensive prowess was lacking. Jae Crowder had a muted performance with a couple of early 3-pointers and a dunk. Mikal Bridges had some decent plays, but the Suns required more from him.

During a fourth quarter push, Booker’s teammates stepped up, but it turned out to be too late.

Booker’s performance, especially his scoring, has consistently been crucial to the Suns. Despite the addition of Paul, an 11-time All-Star and future Hall of Famer, to the team during the offseason, 24-year-old Booker has remained the key player. He has matured over six years while the franchise transformed into a championship contender.

This season, the change was that Booker typically had a lot of assistance.

The Suns utilized a fast-paced offense that prioritized rapid passes and ball distribution. This strategy, which Coach Monty Williams referred to as a “0.5 second offense,” was designed to ensure a pass, shot, or drive occurred within half a second.

In the finals, the Suns initially dominated with a 2-0 series lead as their offense was performing exceptionally well. Conversely, the Bucks were finding it challenging to support their two-time MVP, Giannis Antetokounmpo. However, Milwaukee managed to turn the tables by winning the subsequent three games. This was, in part, due to Booker’s inability to single-handedly carry the team.

Phoenix has no more second chances. If the Suns want to prevent the Bucks from celebrating in Milwaukee, they need to devise a strategy before the NBA Finals resume in Wisconsin.

“We’re prepared for the next game,” Bridges declared. “Dwelling on the past will only rush the end of the season. We’ll take this as a learning experience. The coach will use clips to demonstrate where we need improvement, but we already understand what’s required of us. If we suffer a loss, it’s the end.”