Kevin Durant and Devin Booker quickly cementing themselves as NBA’s best duo
Booker #Booker
The NBA has become a league largely defined by duos. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown in Boston. Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic in Dallas. Joel Embiid and James Harden in Philadelphia. Kawhi Leonard and Paul George with the Clippers. LeBron James and Anthony Davis with the Lakers. De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis in Sacramento. Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo in Miami. Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. with the Grizzlies.
The Warriors, Nuggets and Bucks are teams who are led by one superstar with a less defined No. 2, though I would argue Jrue Holiday, at this point in time, is clearly Milwaukee’s second-best player, as is Klay Thompson, certainly offensively, in Golden State with the way he’s shooting since the turn of the calendar.
Either way, there is one newly formed duo that is quickly cementing itself as the class of the league: Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, who combined for 73 points in Phoenix’s 110-106 victory over the Mavericks on Sunday.
Durant and Booker combined to make 27-of-42 shots, including 4-of-8 from 3 and 15-of-17 from the free throw line. They look like they’ve been playing together forever, but in fact, this was just their third game together. They’re yet to lose.
Of course, Durant is the most seamlessly fitting superstar perhaps ever to play the game. He doesn’t need a lot of shots or the ball at certain spots. He allows everyone else to occupy their preferred positions as he flows into jumpers virtually impervious to defense.
Look at this shot Durant made over Tim Hardaway Jr.. who played as good of defense as you can possibly play, for what proved to be the game-winner with under 12 seconds to play.
The Suns now have the best trio of pick-and-roll initiators probably in history in Durant, Booker and Chris Paul, the latter of whom is no longer a superstar but will nonetheless be imperative to Phoenix’s success come playoff time as teams load up on Durant and Booker. The Mavericks left Paul alone multiple times Sunday, and he made them pay twice with catch-and-shoot 3s, as did Ish Wainwright.
The Suns generated quality shots all game in Dallas as they reversed the ball out of double teams for either open 3s or second-side attacks. Booker, with Durant as the looming threat keeping Dallas from committing to full-on Booker double teams, couldn’t be stopped one on one, getting to the rim and finishing on multiple occasions. On the flip side, we all know that Durant can’t be stopped, or even moderately bothered, by just one defender. Together, these two will own the midrange.
Look at this duo’s numbers since the trade:
There are certain basketball fits you just know are going to work, or not work, before you even see them on the court. Russell Westbrook was never going to work with the Lakers. Kevin Durant was always going to be a video-game glitch next to Devin Booker in Phoenix, and just three games in, we’re already seeing the top-shelf power of this duo play out.