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 contributed 11 points to a 16-point lead the Suns had established against the Milwaukee Bucks. The atmosphere was electric at the Footprint Center, where Phoenix seemed incapable of missing a shot.

Subsequently, things took a turn. In the following 5 minutes and 46 seconds, the Bucks staged their comeback.

When Booker got back to the game with 6:14 remaining in the second, the Suns’ lead had almost vanished. The Bucks seized all the momentum and maintained it, securing a 123-119 victory and gaining a 3-2 series advantage. The setting now moves back to Milwaukee for Game 6 on Tuesday night.

“Booker stated, ‘We started out strong, accomplishing our initial intention, but we eventually let it slip. Despite the setbacks, they persisted and continued playing. It was a tough loss for us.'”

For the second consecutive game, Booker delivered an impressive performance, scoring 40 points from 17-for-33 shooting, following his 42-point performance in a Game 4 loss.

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

Phoenix’s offense appeared to stagnate, depending heavily on Booker to single-handedly generate offense. This was clearly visible during a key possession in the last minute when Booker aimed for the basket. The Bucks’ defense tightened, and Milwaukee’s point guard, Jrue Holiday, snatched the ball away for a game-winning steal.

“We need to circulate the ball,” stated Suns coach Monty Williams. “We’re aware of what Book is capable of with the ball, but our main discussion was about getting into the paint and locating teammates on the other side. We believe that’s a successful strategy. Tonight, there were moments where the ball movement was slightly stagnant.”

Holiday outperformed Chris Paul of Phoenix for a third consecutive game. Despite scoring 20 points, Deandre Ayton failed to display his typical defensive prowess. Jae Crowder started strong with early 3-pointers and a dunk but faded as the game progressed. Mikal Bridges showed promise with a few impressive plays, however, the Suns required more from him.

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

Booker’s contribution, especially in terms of scoring, has always been crucial for the Suns. Despite the addition of 11-time All-Star and future Hall of Famer Paul to the roster in the offseason, 24-year-old Booker continued to be the linchpin. As the franchise evolved into a championship contender over six years, so did he.

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

The Suns operated a high-energy offense that emphasized swift passes and teamwork. Their coach, Monty Williams, named it a 0.5 second offense, as he aimed for a pass, shot, or drive to occur within half a second.

In the finals, the Suns took an early lead in the series 2-0 due to their offense operating efficiently. However, the Bucks were having difficulty providing adequate support for their two-time MVP, Giannis Antetokounmpo. The tables have since turned, with Milwaukee winning the last three games. This is partially due to the fact that Booker alone couldn’t carry the entire team.

Phoenix has exhausted all their chances. The Suns need to devise a winning strategy before the NBA Finals return to Wisconsin if they want to prevent the Bucks from celebrating a victory on their home turf.

“Bridges stated, ‘We are prepared for the next game. If we dwell on past failures, before we know it, the season will be over. So, we’ll take this as a learning opportunity. Our coach will show us clips to highlight areas for improvement. We understand what needs to be done… If we lose, it’s the end.'”