Devin Booker discloses reason for historic 52-point performance against Pelicans

Devin Booker and the Suns arrived at the Smoothie King Center with their sights set firmly on securing the final playoff qualification spot in the highly competitive Western Conference. With the Kings and Lakers nipping at their heels, the Suns required a statement victory over the Pelicans, and Booker ensured they achieved just that.

With his explosive performance, Booker secured an emphatic win, and after the game, he revealed the motivation behind his Monday night’s efforts.

Devin Booker discusses motivation behind performance vs Pelicans

For their road game against the Pelicans, Devin Booker made sure to bring some backup in the stands. D-Book brought along 35-40 friends and families from New Orleans, a place he has strong bonds with.

After his masterful display against the home team, the 27-year-old talked to courtside reporter and revealed his motivation for such a mammoth performance. “I have a lot of family here. They’ve been showing up and showing out since my rookie year. You always have to put on something special for them,” said the Suns’ number 1.

Explaining his ties with the New Orleans in a post-match interview, Booker said, “The crib is close. I have a lot of family in attendance. I grew up coming here. It’s the first NBA arena I’ve been to.”

As for his performance, Devin Booker with his 52-point on the night not only took his franchise closer to their coveted sixth spot, but also etched his name on the history books alongside a legend of the game.

Devin Booker joins NBA legend with latest performance

Against the Pelicans, Devin Booker put on a scoring clinic with 52 points. In the 39 minutes he played, Booker also recorded 9 assists and 3 rebounds while scoring 19 of his 28 field goal attempts. The rest of the team failed to keep the rampaging Zion Williamson on bay despite a 124-111 win.

With this performance, the Suns guard has now joined NBA legend Wilt Chamberlain on a historic list. Booker has become the only player since Wilt to score 50+ points against the same team on three consecutive occasions. The former Kentucky player previously racked up another 52 points in January against the Pelicans and 58 points in 2022.

The Suns fans had high hopes for their Big 3 of Bradley Beal, Devin Booker and Kevin Durant and so far they’re keeping pace with it. Following Beal’s acquisition in the summer, there were questions surrounding Booker’s role in the team, but the guard has remained integral to everything good about the Phoenix franchise.

Playing alongside the player he looked up to while growing up, Kevin Durant, Booker is steadily building momentum for a strong post-season run. On April 3, the Suns’ championship credentials will be tested against the big boys of the East, The Cleveland Cavaliers.