When Phoenix Suns All-Star Devin Booker was standing out-of-bounce in the second quarter of Oklahoma City Thunder’s 99-83 win, Lu Dort remained glued to his hip, and it drove him nuts. Dort provoked Booker into a shove, for which the four-time All-Star dodged a technical foul. Still, the play made a lasting impression on Thunder forward Jalen Williams, who spoke on it after the game.
“It’s just what he does on a nightly basis. You see that energy in what he’s doing. So, you always want to make sure you’re in the right spot to help him if he gets beat,” Williams said. “Just make sure our coverages and stuff are clean, especially when you have a really good player like that. Book’s had 70 [points]. So, you don’t want to give him anything easy, and you know, on the ball, Lu’s not really going to make a lot of mistakes.
“Just being there for screens and next-man rotations. So, I think Lu did a good job with that.”
Is that the reason why Booker reacted the way he did?
“A little bit of frustration,” Williams replied. “I think when you throw so many different looks at players, it’s easy to get frustrated. On top of it, it’s Lu, who’s not going to stop for the whole game. So, I think that probably adds to it. So, it’s just a moment of frustration. Just as a team, it’s one of those moments you just come together. It’s still a collective effort. So, we don’t really let that play affect the rest of the game.”
After going 0-for-6 in the first half, Booker finished with 12 points on 2-of-10 attempts. He also added four assists, four rebounds, one block, and one steal. However, on a night when the Suns were without Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal, Phoenix heavily relied on Devin’s offense while the Thunder held their opponent to 83 points, a new season’s best.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander addresses Devin Booker after Thunder win
Jalen Williams wasn’t the only Thunder starter who commented on Devin Booker and Lu Dort, as Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander also addressed Booker after Friday’s win.
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“I can imagine it being frustrating offensively because you feel like you’re being pushed or shoved, or whatever it is,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “It’s obviously a skillset of his. His ability to move his feet as well as be physical, as well as be disciplined. He checks all of the boxes defensively, and thank God I don’t have to go through it on a nightly basis like the other teams do.
“But Lu’s special, for sure. He’ll end up on one of these Defensive Teams now or in the future,” Gilgeous-Alexander concluded.
The Thunder will host the Mavericks on Sunday.
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