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Devin Booker to get in the pool, play Call of Duty to relax before Game 7

HoopsHype
·13 min read
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Gerald Bourguet: Devin Booker on Suns practice today: “The preparation to it, I like coming in here with everybody locked in top to bottom….You can feel the demeanor.” Also said he’ll probably play some Call of Duty or get in the pool today to try and relax before Game 7 tomorrow pic.twitter.com/p2z3W9dtWD
Source: Twitter @GeraldBourguet

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
“I like coming in here with everybody locked in top to bottom. From front office looking through the windows, you can feel the demeanor.” Devin Booker heading into Game 7. #Suns #Mavs #NBAPlayoffs2022 pic.twitter.com/yTsUVMZnYQ – 4:25 PM

Mark Woods @markbritball
Jess Judd wins the UK women’s 10,000m title in Highgate in 31.22.24 to book her world champs spot.
Sarah Inglis 4th in 31:39.60 to get Scotland’s Commonwealth standard – 4:21 PM

Kellan Olson @KellanOlson
Devin Booker on what he will do until Game 7: “There are no games on today so that’s always a bummer.”
He’s gonna relax and get some treatment to get ready. Might take a dip in the pool or get in some drops on COD to free his mind for a bit. – 4:16 PM

Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
Devin Booker on Suns practice today: “The preparation to it, I like coming in here with everybody locked in top to bottom….You can feel the demeanor.”
Also said he’ll probably play some Call of Duty or get in the pool today to try and relax before Game 7 tomorrow pic.twitter.com/p2z3W9dtWD – 4:12 PM

Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
How big is Game 7?
Devin Booker said everybody is locked in and you can see front office people “looking through the windows” at the practice facility. #Suns #Mavs #NBAPlayoffs2022 – 4:08 PM

Eddie Sefko @ESefko
The Mavericks are ready for all-or-nothing in Game 7 and they are expecting the best out of Chris Paul, Devin Booker and the rest of the Suns.
mavs.com/chris-paul-pri… – 3:58 PM

Brad Townsend @townbrad
“We know Chris and Book are coming.” pic.twitter.com/YDEH3HdJt9 – 2:06 PM

Brad Townsend @townbrad
Mavs’ stingy defense casts Game 7 doubt for ‘funeral black’ clad Chris Paul, Devin Booker dallasnews.com/sports/maveric… – 7:07 PM

Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
‘Two greatest words in sports’: Phoenix #Suns All-Star Devin Booker ‘excited’ for first career Game 7 azcentral.com/story/sports/n… via @azcentral – 5:45 PM

Mike Mazzeo @MazzNYC
Not a retail book but you can make reservations for the restaurant #Mets pic.twitter.com/J0JnEONISR – 1:37 PM

Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Phoenix #Suns All-Star Devin Booker ‘excited’ for first career Game 7 (w/video) #NBAPlayoffs2022 #Mavs https://t.co/Am4BC1WzbF via @azcentral pic.twitter.com/YWN31DYtt6 – 9:45 AM

Tommy Beer @TommyBeer
Per @nbastats,
Frank Ntilikina has been the primary defender on Devin Booker for a total of 29 possessions in the DAL-PHX series. Booker is 1-of-6 from the floor in 5:31 of matchup mins.
Frank logged 22 mins in the Mavs Game 6 win and tallied 4 steals and a block and was +9 – 9:41 AM

Callie Caplan @CallieCaplan
Luka Doncic on his response to Game 5 criticism: “I like when people trash talk to me. It gets me going.”
Maybe a heads up for Devin Booker on Sunday.
On what might’ve been the real ‘Luka Special’: Doncic does it all in Mavs’ Game 6 win overs Suns dallasnews.com/sports/maveric… – 2:23 AM

Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
“I’d rather swept them.”
Devin Booker when asked if he’d rather close out the #Mavs in tonight’s Game 6 instead of playing a Game 7. #Suns #NBAPlayoffs2022 pic.twitter.com/vQCYP5ezTP – 1:39 AM

Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
“Being a little careless. I’ll clean it up.” Devin Booker after tying his career high for turnovers in a playoff game with eight in Thursday’s Game 6 loss to @Mavs. #Suns #NBAPlayoffs2022 pic.twitter.com/8dcpF0KyIW – 1:35 AM

Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
Here’s Devin Booker’s full response when I asked about envisioning playoff scenarios like a Game 7.
@Duane Rankin followed up asking, “But I’m sure you would rather be closing this out though tonight?”
Book, honestly: “I would rather have swept ’em.” pic.twitter.com/bGXysFPObA – 1:25 AM

Brad Townsend @townbrad
Game 6 MVP? Reggie Bullock, who locked down Booker, who ‘talked junk to our superstar’ dallasnews.com/sports/maveric… – 1:02 AM

StatMuse @statmuse
Luka tonight: 33/11/8/4
Book + CP tonight: 32/10/7/3 pic.twitter.com/fCDuHwO29g – 12:40 AM

Callie Caplan @CallieCaplan
Reggie Bullock on Luka Doncic vs. Devin Booker and Chris Paul: “I laugh when he gets that. … Not letting people talk junk to our superstar.” – 12:35 AM

Kellan Olson @KellanOlson
Devin Booker said Game 7 is the two greatest words in sports. He of course said he would have rather swept the Mavericks but is excited for the great opportunity of playing in his first Game 7. – 12:33 AM

Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
I asked Devin Booker about playing in a potential Game 7: “It’s the greatest two words in sports.”
Mentioned that he’s (obviously) never played in one before and he’s excited for it – 12:32 AM

StatMuse @statmuse
Rough night for the best backcourt in the NBA.
CP: 4 baskets, 5 turnovers
Book: 6 baskets, 8 turnovers pic.twitter.com/tSI37V3qnu – 12:14 AM

Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
Final: DAL 113, PHX 86
Ayton: 21 Pts, 11 Reb, 10-16 FG
Booker: 19 Pts, 8 Reb, 6-17 FG, 8 TO
Paul: 13 Pts, 4 Ast, 4-7 FG, 5 TO
Doncic: 33-11-8-4, 11-26 FG
DAL: 16-39 3P; PHX: 6-18 3P – 12:08 AM

Mike Prada @MikePradaNBA
If I was a Suns coach, I’d suggest using CP3 more as the first screener in our double drag / DHO actions for Booker. Dallas put DFS on CP3 tonight, who roamed off him to close space while Bullock dogged Booker at the point of attack. CP3 as screener might open that space back up – 12:01 AM

James Boyd @RomeovilleKid
Book and Luka hate each other 😂😂😂 – 11:56 PM

Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
Devin Booker and Chris Paul: 26 points, 8-21 FG, 5 assists, 11 turnovers – 11:48 PM

Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Five fouls on Doncic on Booker drive.
Kidd challenging call. 10:02 left in game.
Huge challenge here.
#Suns #Mavs #NBAPlayoffs2022 – 11:44 PM

Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
End of 3Q: DAL 94, PHX 72
Ayton: 21 Pts, 9 Reb, 10-14 FG
Booker: 15 Pts, 7 Reb, 5-14 FG
Crowder: 9 Pts, 2-4 FG
Doncic: 28-7-7-3, 9-21 FG – 11:35 PM

Dave McMenamin @mcten
Chris Paul and Devin Booker are a combined 6-for-17 with 9 turnovers, compared to just five assists. Another tough showing in Dallas for the Suns’ leaders. – 11:33 PM

Michael Dugat @mdug
The ol’ Tony Parker drive and lift your feet to make sure you fall down and get a call move from Booker. – 11:31 PM

Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
Luka Doncic picks up his 3rd foul with the shoulder check on Devin Booker – 11:14 PM

Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Brunson euro step through Booker, bucket. #Suns down, 70-48. – 11:07 PM

Brad Townsend @townbrad
“Booker sucks,” chants going up. Not sure what the upside to that would be. Sure, he only has 8 points, but he could go off at any time. – 11:04 PM

Callie Caplan @CallieCaplan
Friendly fire between Luka Doncic and Dwight Powell, who were both slow to get up from a collision.
Looked like Luka was rolling out his right ankle as “Booker sucks” chants started. – 11:02 PM

Kellan Olson @KellanOlson
“Booker sucks” chants in Dallas. They are kinder than New Orleans. – 11:01 PM

Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
“Booker sucks” chant breaks out in the arena – 11:01 PM

Brad Townsend @townbrad
Bullock once again starts the half guarding Booker, who misses a 3, and Mavs convert on other end for 17-point lead. – 11:00 PM

Peter Vecsey @PeterVecsey1
espn studio stiffs failing to see why Paul & Booker have 13 points (how many turnovers?) between them!! Defense of Bullick & Finney-Smith allows Luka to pay strict attention to scoring and passing… – 10:58 PM

Peter Vecsey @PeterVecsey1
The story of G6, for sure, and the biggest adjustment of the series, perhaps, is assigning length & mobility (Bullock) on Paul, and Finney-Smith on Booker!! – 10:48 PM

Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
Halftime: DAL 60, PHX 45
Ayton: 10 Pts, 5 Reb, 5-7 FG
Booker: 8 Pts, 3-7 FG
Crowder: 7 Pts, 2-4 FG
Doncic: 18-6-4-3, 6-16 FG – 10:44 PM

Brad Townsend @townbrad
Booker said something that made Doncic smile. Maybe he said “Luka special?” – 10:33 PM

Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
Mavs are bothering the Suns with their length and defensive pressure right now. 2 straight turnovers for Devin Booker – 10:31 PM

Michael C. Wright @mikecwright
Three turnovers for Devin Booker so far in the first half. – 10:30 PM

Callie Caplan @CallieCaplan
Not sure when Luka Doncic rolled his eyes harder today — this morning when asked about Devin Booker’s “Luka Special” jab or after missing 3 of his first 6 FTs. – 10:30 PM

Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
No turnovers for either team in the second quarter.
So #Mavs still have none.
#Suns down 41-37 with 7:01 left in half
Devin Booker just noticed former #Mavs guard Devin Harris in the walkway and just said hey to him.
Harris responded. #Mavs #NBAPlayoffs2022 #Suns – 10:27 PM

Brad Townsend @townbrad
Result of Bullock switching onto Booker to start the game, so far, has resulted in Booker scoring 8 points and Paul scoring 3. – 10:19 PM

Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
End of 1Q: DAL 28, PHX 25
Booker: 8 Pts, 3-4 FG
Ayton: 6 Pts, 4 Reb
Crowder: 7 Pts, 2-3 FG
Doncic: 11 Pts, 4-11 FG – 10:12 PM

Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
#Suns current lineup:
Booker, Shamet, Bridges, Johnson and Biyombo. #NBAPlayoffs2022 – 10:05 PM

Kellan Olson @KellanOlson
Booker getting trapped from the jump. A good job of breaking it down so far. – 9:49 PM

Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Booker hockey assist of action with Bridges, who found Ayton on baseline.
Tied 6-6. #Suns #Mavs – 9:49 PM

Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Booker to the rim. #Suns #Mavs tied 4-4. #NBAPlayoffs2022 – 9:48 PM

Brad Townsend @townbrad
Early double-teaming of Booker, but Suns get first basket on an easy Ayton layin. – 9:47 PM

Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
Mavs start the game aggressively trapping Devin Booker – 9:47 PM

Chuck Cooperstein @coopmavs
Mavs starters: Bullock, DFS, Powell, Brunson, Doncic
Suns starters: Bridges, Crowder, Ayton, Booker, Paul
8:40 tip @theeagledallas – 9:06 PM

Brad Turner @BA_Turner
76ers fans not happy after James Harden turns ball over and Bam Adebayo steals and goes in for a dunk and a 68-52 Heat lead. 76ers fans start to book the home team. – 8:46 PM

Kellan Olson @KellanOlson
When Dallas goes small tonight w/o Powell and puts more pressure on Paul/Booker, this is the Ayton the Suns need.
He actively seeks out screens and then takes two confident dribbles to get within hook shot range.
Short roll has been there all series. Should be again tonight. pic.twitter.com/TeHATyXVnv – 4:48 PM

Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Recent #Suns stories:
Booker distant 4th #NBA MVP voting https://t.co/xeZ1BVe8PJ
#Suns look to end chippy series in Game 6 https://t.co/8Fay5Xmh1m
‘The Luka special’: Devin Booker https://t.co/M4fv7NBdex
‘Everybody acts tough when they up’: Luka Doncic https://t.co/Id6iYPTwAu pic.twitter.com/t7WuYqBQCq – 1:32 PM

Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Luka Doncic on following:
Devin Booker’s “Luka Special” line: “Don’t really care.”
Finishing 5th in MVP voting: “I want to win a championship.”
His “everybody acts tough when they up” after Game 5: “When you’re up, everybody is trying to talk.” #Mavs #Suns #NBAPlayoffs2022 pic.twitter.com/FQ9p37nbeO – 12:30 PM

Chris Herring @Herring_NBA
It’s always so refreshing to grab packages when you know there’s incredible stuff that’s been delivered. Have been waiting on this Biggie book, from @JustinTinsley. Am so excited to dig in. Congrats bro! pic.twitter.com/6I7WxMnRqq – 11:52 AM

Dave McMenamin @mcten
Chris Paul is a fierce floor commander and Devin Booker is a cool scoring assassin, but the Phoenix Suns’ team personality comes out during a chaotic, sometimes goofy, but always fun pregame ritual.
My ESPN feature on the Suns’ hype-inducing huddle:
es.pn/3yxZlxO – 10:41 AM

Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Devin Booker finishes distant 4th in #NBA MVP voting, but should start next season in conversation azcentral.com/story/sports/n… via @azcentral – 10:34 AM

David Thorpe @coachthorpe
Writing this before tonight’s game in Dallas. I clearly missed on early Booker projections. Not that I didn’t like him. I just didn’t ever consider him much. Maybe it was the franchise he was on. Regardless, he deserved better for me. I think he’s incredible. A killer on court. – 9:05 AM

Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Devin Booker finished a distant fourth in the #NBA MVP voting as he received one second-place vote, eight third-place votes, 49 fourth-place votes and 22 fifth-place votes.
Chris Paul got two fifth-place votes. #Suns pic.twitter.com/OMEcEMPtE7 – 10:41 PM

Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU
Most 40-point games, last 4 postseasons:
– Giannis Antetokounmpo (now 7)
– Luka Doncic, Kevin Durant (6)
– Devin Booker, Jimmy Butler, Kawhi Leonard, Donovan Mitchell, Jamal Murray (4)
– Damian Lillard (3)
– James Harden, Ja Morant, Jayson Tatum (2) – 9:53 PM

J. Michael Falgoust @ThisIsJMichael
You know you excuse makers who try to discredit other players’ championships to uplift your team/favorite players when they lose: when you’re made of championship stuff, you get it done. Series far from over but see Milwaukee minus Middleton and Phoenix w/o Booker – 9:42 PM

Mark Medina @MarkG_Medina
Klay Thompson’s recent reading list: “The Breaks of the Game” (David Halberstam) “Young, Black, Rich and Famous” (Todd Boyd), “Hard Labor” (@Sam Smith), “Last of the Blue Water Hunters” (Carlos Eyles) & “Book of the Seven Seas” (Peter Freuchen) on.nba.com/3P9XsNz – 9:13 PM

Callie Caplan @CallieCaplan
Mavericks’ Luka Doncic finishes 5th in MVP voting, one spot behind Suns’ Devin Booker dallasnews.com/sports/maveric… – 7:07 PM

StatMuse @statmuse
Stat leaders among the top 5 MVP finalists:
PPG — Embiid
RPG — Jokic
APG — Luka
SPG — Jokic
BPG — Embiid
FG% — Jokic
+/- — Booker pic.twitter.com/2Ob9rCrdSE – 6:47 PM

Callie Caplan @CallieCaplan
Luka Doncic: Year 4, No. 5 in MVP voting behind Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Devin Booker.
Luka and Booker both got 1 second-place vote but Booker got 8 third-place votes to Luka’s 0. pic.twitter.com/rtNccIdPzF – 6:44 PM

Gerald Bourguet @GeraldBourguet
Devin Booker finished 4th in MVP voting: pic.twitter.com/E1YJ1v51kb – 6:35 PM

More on this storyline

Gerald Bourguet: Monty Williams described the gym at practice today as “thick with intensity.” Said the execution of their defensive concepts wasn’t there in Game 6 like it was in Game 5, and kept going back to their 22 turnovers in terms of the offense -via Twitter @GeraldBourguet / May 14, 2022

Duane Rankin: Monty Williams said #Mavs trying to force Chris Paul left, but #Suns have counters and Paul is good going left. #NBAPlayoffs2022 -via Twitter @DuaneRankin / May 14, 2022

Kellan Olson: Jae Crowder has played in Game 7s before and said it comes down to who imposes their will the most. Everyone is so familiar with each other 6 games in. For his first Game 7, his vets prepared him for the enhanced atmosphere and it still didn’t fully register until he was in it. -via Twitter @KellanOlson / May 14, 2022