From Russell Westbrook and Stephen Curry until Kyrie Irving and James Harden, Kevin Durant He has played with many future Hall of Famers in his NBA career. And Devin Booker could be the next to join that list.
Taking Durant before the trade deadline, The The Phoenix Suns are now home to two of the most explosive scorers in the league. Heading into Wednesday’s game against the Hornets, where KD will make his debut, the star is averaging 29.7 points per game, which ranks seventh-highest. A few spots below him is Booker, who is averaging 26.5 points a night.
Only two other pairs have scored more this campaign: Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown in Boston, and Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving in Dallas.
Durant and Booker don’t have much time to get on the same page, but they’re sure to get a good performance in the Playoffs.
subscribe to NBA League Pass to see all games: United States | The rest of the world
Three reasons why Kevin Durant and Devin Booker are destined to be an unstoppable pairing
#1: Durant and Booker don’t need the ball to be effective
Durant and Booker are capable of being very productive off the ball for a variety of reasons.
The first? They are such good shots that defenders should think twice before going under them.
According to NBA.com, Durant has made 37.6% of his 3-point attempts. He was on the same brand last season. Booker was even more accurate than KD, shooting 43.6% last year and 40.8% this year.
Both are at their best with the ball in their hands, of course, but the fact that each can punish teams in those situations should give the other more room to operate when in charge.
“I can probably give you a little more space than you’re used to with my shooting ability.” Durant said of his adjustment with Booker. “I watch a lot of games. Sometimes he gets double-tagged, especially at forward, which is the position I played. I can help you get a little more space, which would make you even more efficient, and vice versa.”
Fans in the United Statesyou can watch the best games of the 2022-2023 NBA season at Sling TV. Register by clicking here.
The second? Durant and Booker are much more than one-time threats. Both are among the league leaders in scoring blocks this season, so they are more than capable of putting together a high percentage of shots following the system, especially from mid-range.
Something as simple as Booker running a pick-and-roll with Deandre Ayton while Durant goes indirect (or vice versa) will be a nightmare for defenses.
Oh, and get ready to see even more pick and roll in Spain. The Suns have tormented opponents with this game for the past few seasons and now with Durant they will be harder to stop.
#2: Durant has a lot of experience with other stars
No, the Suns aren’t the Warriors, but Durant has experience joining established teams that already have an All-Star or two (or three).
ESPN’s Zach Lowe called Durant the most adaptable superstar in NBA history because of the ease with which his skill set can be applied to any context. Offensively, he can do everything. Play direct block, attack the clearance, score in transition, off the ball… Defensively, he’s still quick enough to defend multiple positions and has the size to take action at the rim.
The icing on the cake: Durant has experience playing with Booker and Chris Paul in different stints on the US National Team. It may take Ayton a while to find his footing now that he has to share the court with three stars, but if he agrees, he should get the easiest baskets of his life playing together Durant, Booker and Paul.
#3: Durant and Booker are mismatches
Durant is in the discussion for the greatest one-on-one scorer in history. His volume has never matched Harden’s peak, but he can out-shoot just about anyone both on the perimeter and in the post.
Sometimes the best offense Durant’s team can run is to give him the ball and run away from him.
While Booker doesn’t have the advantage of being as tall as Durant, He is one of the best scorers in the NBA. and that it doesn’t take much to get on a roll.
The Suns don’t rely on individuality as much as other teams, but having two players who can punish mismatches will come in handy in the playoffs when the game slows down. There won’t be many opponents who have the personnel to match up with both Durant and Booker, so putting them in the pick-and-roll will have a big impact.
The views expressed here do not necessarily represent those of the NBA or its organizations.
