In the second game of the first round, the Suns lost to the Pelicans 114-125, and the score was 1-1.
Booker played well today, playing just 24 minutes, shooting 12-of-19, including 7-of-11 three-pointers, and having 31 points, 2 rebounds and 1 assist. Unfortunately, Booker suffered an injury in the third quarter and left the game early, and did not score in the second half. If Booker hadn't suffered an injury, the Suns wouldn't have lost in his current state.
In the first half, Booker played 17 minutes, shooting 12-of-18 from the field and 7-of-10 from three-point range, without free throws, and cut down 31 points, 2 rebounds and 1 assist. This is the second time in Booker's playoff career that he has scored 30+ and shot at least seven three-pointers at halftime, the first player in NBA history to do so many times. In the first half of the Suns' sixth game against the Lakers in the first round last year, Booker scored seven three-pointers and scored 33 points.
In addition, Booker also became the first player in the history of the Suns to cut 30+ at halftime twice, except for Booker, only Paul and Nash had one such performance each.
It is worth mentioning that Booker cut 30+ without a single free throw in the first half today, and he has also become the first player in NBA history to cut 30+ in the playoffs without penalties in the playoffs.
Thompson had almost done just that before that, and on May 8, 2013, Thompson scored 29 points in the first half and didn't get a single 0-free throw.
Booker scored 31 points in the first half, while the Suns' other eight players made a total of 12-of-27 shooting, 3-of-11 three-pointers and 3-of-3 from the free throw line, scoring just 30 points, not as many as Booker alone. While Booker scored 31 points in the first half, the Suns led by only five points in the first half. If It weren't for Booker's strength, the Sun might have fallen behind, and in the end, in the case of Booker's injury, the Sun did lose.
It has to be mentioned that Booker's performance this season is very good, leading the Suns to play the best record in team history of 64 wins and 18 losses, and he can also play the average of 25+5+5 data, but there is no Booker's name in the final MVP candidate list.
For the Suns, it is not important to lose today's game, the most important thing is how Booker is injured, if it is more serious, if you want to miss the game, then the Suns will be very difficult next, and it is possible to be black eight. Even if it breaks through the first round, without Booker, the sun probably won't be able to go very far.