reassessing Booker

[Bobster]

2020-21 was a good time, but they got some breaks along the way in order to get to the Finals.

And let's face it, Booker has an abysmal history in elimination games.

 

[Finito]

Looking back, those were pretty good times. IMO, the Suns were broken up too soon.

I avoid this team now. I can’t express how much it pisses me off that James Jones still has a job.

 

[Bobster]

Booker's numbers are propped up by having a big game last year, but he's his record in elimination games -

2021 - 46 Min, 8/22 FG, 0/7 3Pt, 3/3 FT, 3 Reb, 5 Ast, 19 Pts (Suns lose 105-98)
2022 - 37 Min, 3/14 FG, 0/4 3Pt, 5/6 FT, 3 Reb, 2 Ast, 11 Pts (Suns lose 123-90)
2023 - 36 MIn, 4/13 FG, 1/3 3Pt, 3/4 FT, 1 Reb, 8 Ast, 12 Pts (Suns lose 125-107)
2024 - 45 Min, 13/21 FG, 2/5 3Pt, 20/21 FT, 5 Reb, 6 Ast. 49 Pts (Suns lose 122-116)

Averages - 41.0 Min, .400 FG%, .157 3Pt%, .912 FT%, 3.0 Reb, 5.3 Ast, 22.8 Pts

 

[Cheesebeef]

Booker's numbers are propped up by having a big game last year, but he's his record in elimination games -

2021 - 46 Min, 8/22 FG, 0/7 3Pt, 3/3 FT, 3 Reb, 5 Ast, 19 Pts (Suns lose 105-98)
2022 - 37 Min, 3/14 FG, 0/4 3Pt, 5/6 FT, 3 Reb, 2 Ast, 11 Pts (Suns lose 123-90)
2023 - 36 MIn, 4/13 FG, 1/3 3Pt, 3/4 FT, 1 Reb, 8 Ast, 12 Pts (Suns lose 125-107)
2024 - 45 Min, 13/21 FG, 2/5 3Pt, 20/21 FT, 5 Reb, 6 Ast. 49 Pts (Suns lose 122-116)

Averages - 41.0 Min, .400 FG%, .157 3Pt%, .912 FT%, 3.0 Reb, 5.3 Ast, 22.8 Pts

Meanwhile, Booker no showed in the first 3 games of the Wolves series where we went down 0-3.

 

[Bobster]

Meanwhile, Booker no showed in the first 3 games of the Wolves series where we went down 0-3.

First three games 40.3 Min, .431 FG%, .333 3Pt%, .950 FT%, 2.7 Reb, 6.0 Ast, 20.3 Pts

Not terrible, not great.

Of course Anthony Edwards was going crazy against him that series - 31.0 Pts, 8.0 Reb, 6.3 ast

 

[82CardsGrad]

Where Booker totally crapped the bed in Game 6, helping the team choke it’s way from up 2-0 to a backdoor sweep.

He’s also been the co-leader of the two most humiliating Suns home playoff losses to end seasons ever, completely no showing in those vomitous 30 point laughers in back to back years… before co-authoring last year’s pathetic 0-4 sweep, where he only showed up in the entire series for the first 3 quarters of Game 4 and then disappeared as usual in the playoff clutch in the 4th where he got owned by Ant.

Here’s the cold, hard truth. The Finals trip was a fluky, Covid run where we STILL choked away a 2-0 lead AND is the exception to the rule for the rest of Booker’s entire career. Outside of 2021, he’s either been the empty stats leader of a perennial lotto dormat or someone who leads his team to craptacular playoff drubbings in the first or second round.

Harsh… but completely accurate. It sucks because Book is such a good guy. I wish he had more ability to actually be a leader throughout the season and particularly come playoff time.
But he’s simply not “that guy.”

Worse, I am now officially wondering if he will ever win a championship… I mean, I guess anything can happen and if (HUGE IF) he’s on a team that has been absolutely perfectly constructed, I guess he’d have a shot. But short of those stars aligning, I am really questioning if he will ever reach the pinnacle of the mountain…

 

[Bobster]

Harsh… but completely accurate. It sucks because Book is such a good guy. I wish he had more ability to actually be a leader throughout the season and particularly come playoff time.
But he’s simply not “that guy.”

Worse, I am now officially wondering if he will ever win a championship… I mean, I guess anything can happen and if (HUGE IF) he’s on a team that has been absolutely perfectly constructed, I guess he’d have a shot. But short of those stars aligning, I am really questioning if he will ever reach the pinnacle of the mountain…

Paying the super max to a player who can't put the team on his back and carry the load puts you at a real disadvantage. Booker and Beal are paid to be that type of player, and yet, they aren't. Whether Durant is is up to debate.

 

[dscher]

He is what everyone who isn't a Suns fan thinks he is...

An above average player on horrible teams for many years while he got his shine. Just like Beal was for Washington.

 

[Dan H]

Dominique Wilkins 2.0.

 

[Bobster]

Dominique Wilkins 2.0.

Pete Maravich, Adrian Dantley, Alex English, George Gervin, Kiki Vandeweghe, Carmelo Anthony, Walt Bellamy, etc., etc.

There have been a lot of players who never came close to a championship but put up gaudy numbers.

 

[1tinsoldier]

Booker's numbers are propped up by having a big game last year, but he's his record in elimination games -

Averages - 41.0 Min, .400 FG%, .157 3Pt%, .912 FT%, 3.0 Reb, 5.3 Ast, 22.8 Pts

the evidence is clear:
*we went from the best clutch NBA team to the worst after CP3
*Booker is shooting around 10% in the final 2 minutes of close games this season
and
*he shot 16% from 3 in our 4 playoff elimination games

his shot selection is not great to begin with, and it gets worse under pressure

3 games ago, at the 6 minute mark in the first quarter, he had the ball at the top of the key, faked a pass to Durant who was wide open beyond the 3pt line and he drove the ball into defenders for a failed drive

that (and watching him for 10 years) tells me he hasn't got the smarts to make the best play in the moment.
he's a scorer, not a winner

sure, when he's double team (non-crunch time), he can find the open man
if he's not doubled, he can give us 25 points or more
but team success depends on who can step it up both mentally and physically at the end of games
he tries, but he can't
and, for some reason, he's still playing pg in crunch time despite us acquiring a competent one

i'd pay him well, but not the supermax, and not even the max
as is, his Suns career will end like Clay Thompson's Warriors career
with him going somewhere else to get paid what he no longer deserves

 

[Cheesebeef]

Pete Maravich, Adrian Dantley, Alex English, George Gervin, Kiki Vandeweghe, Carmelo Anthony, Walt Bellamy, etc., etc.

There have been a lot of players who never came close to a championship but put up gaudy numbers.

Yeah… that is pretty much the group Booker belongs in. Can throw Dominique into that group as well.