The All-Star Game has never been one for defense, and on Sunday night in Indianapolis, offensive records were set. Most three-pointers by a team (42). Most points by a team (211). The range of players was on full display as the two teams combined for 67 made threes.
The game returned to the East vs. West format, and it was the Eastern Conference that won, 211-186, with Damian Lillard earning MVP honors. It was Lillard’s first appearance for the East, as well as his first start in an All-Star Game in his career.
The Phoenix Suns were represented by two players, with Kevin Durant starting for the Western Conference and Devin Booker playing as a reserve. They did their part in contributing to the 186-point total by the West and had fun doing so.
Durant, who made his 11th All-Star appearance in 15 selections, played a total of 25 minutes. He played only 8 minutes in the second half. KD scored a total of 18 points, doing so on 7-of-12 shooting and 4-of-8 from three-point range. He added 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals.
Devin Booker had a big weekend in Indy. He officially released his first signature shoe and was running around the frigid state capital leaving boxes with a signed pair of his shoes for people to find, scavenger hunt style. The city partnered with Nike and had posters and billboards throughout the downtown area with Booker’s image and shoe upon them.
As for the game? Booker did his part in the 19 minutes he played. He scored 15 points on 7-of-14 shooting, only hitting 1 of his 7 three-pointers, but had 7 assists, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals in his fourth All-Star Game selection and third appearance.
Booker had his fair share of highlights, including an alley-oop dunk from LeBron James.
Booker is now averaging 14 points per game in his All-Star career. KD? He’s averaging 24.4.
Leave it to both Book and KD to be masters of the mid-range in a contest that saw 168 three-point attempts, which was 58.1% of all shots.
“It’s always a great experience,” Devin said after the game. “Once you start taking it all in, you start having the conversations with the legends of the game. The guys who came before us. It’s always an honor.”
As for the game itself? “It’s pickup-friendly basketball,” Booker commented.
The Suns resume their schedule on Thursday night a they visit the Dallas Mavericks. With 27 games left on their regular season schedule, Phoenix is right in the middle of a rock fight in the Western Conference standings.
