Struggling to hold on! Booker scored a game-high 20 points with 9 of 16 shots in the first half, but couldn't hide the decline of the Suns

On April 7, the NBA regular season continued, with the Phoenix Suns playing against the visiting New York Knicks at home. This matchup between the Eastern and Western Conference powerhouses was originally expected to be a great success. However, after the first half, the Suns fell into an offensive dilemma, and the score was suppressed by the Knicks to 43-53, falling behind by 10 points at halftime. The only bright spot for the Suns was the personal performance of the star guard Devin Booker.

In the first half of the game, Booker took on almost all of the Suns' offensive tasks. He played for 20 minutes in the first two quarters, and his hand was hot. He made 9 of 16 shots and scored 20 points, becoming the highest scorer of both teams in the first half. In addition to scoring, he also contributed 1 rebound, 1 assist and 1 steal. Although these statistics were a bit mediocre, Booker's role was particularly prominent in the stalemate and the overall slump of his teammates.

Although Booker's mid-range and long-range shooting was still good, his three-point shooting performance was average, hitting only 1 of 4 shots . In terms of free throws, he only got one chance to stand on the free throw line and hit it steadily. In addition, due to the long time of holding the ball on the offensive end, Booker also made 3 turnovers under high-pressure defense , which is a microcosm of the Suns' overall lack of offensive fluency.

From the course of the game, Booker showed a strong desire to attack in the first quarter, relying on pick-and-rolls or forced breakthroughs to create killing opportunities. In the case of the team's overall low hit rate, he was still able to score frequently, reflecting the stability and big heart of a top scorer. However, the Knicks were more holistic in tactical execution, with multiple offensive points, especially in transition offense and rebounding protection, gradually widening the score gap.

The other players of the Suns were not in good condition. Durant was absent due to rest, and Bill, Nurkic and others were not efficient in scoring. Their outside shooting rate was low, which made Booker's efficient scoring unable to turn into the team's leading advantage. Especially in the latter part of the second quarter, the Suns failed to attack many times, and the Knicks played fast break counterattacks continuously, expanding the score difference to double digits in one fell swoop.

It can be said that Booker's outstanding performance was the key to the Suns not being completely outscored in the first half. But if they want to reverse the score in the second half, the Suns must make adjustments on both offense and defense, especially other role players need to step up and share Booker's offensive pressure. Otherwise, even if Booker is in hot form, it will be difficult for him to shake the more balanced Knicks team.