Devin Booker’s 95 points in last 2 games helps clinch West Player of the Month award

Dec 1, 2022 - 9:20 PM

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After scoring 95 points in the last two games of November, the NBA named Devin Booker the first Western Conference Player of the Month of the 2022-23 season, which really encompasses the first six weeks of the season since opening night.

Booker’s Phoenix Suns lead the West in winning percentage, net rating, offensive rating and are third in defensive rating among the 15 teams in the West. They have a 15-6 record despite missing two starters — one of them an All-NBA, All-Star point guard! — and another major rotation player for more than half of that time.

Clearly, Booker is the engine that drives the Phoenix Suns to new heights.

Quick notes on Book:

• 95 points on 69% shooting, 10 assists, 12 rebounds, 7 steals in last two games
• On Wednesday, the last day of November, Booker became only the fifth player ever to score 51 or more points in 31 or fewer minutes, but did so on the highest shooting percentage (80%) and fewest free throws (seven)
• He did that two days after posting an all-time great line of 44 points on 69% shooting, with 8 rebounds, 4 assists and 6 steals in a win over Sacramento
• Booker now has the most 40-point games in Phoenix Suns history (21), which is six more than second-place Amare Stoudemire’s 15.

After 21 games, he’s posting career high averages in points (29.0), shooting % (48.9%), rebounds (5.3), steals (1.1), blocks (0.5) and net plus-minus (+7.4), while also dishing 5.8 assists per game.

This marks Booker’s second-career Western Conference Player of the Month honor, having also won for February 2021, as he joins Kevin Johnson (February 1989 and April 1997), Amar’e Stoudemire (March 2010 and April 2005), Steve Nash (January 2007 and November 2004), Shawn Marion (February 2006 and March 2002) and Charles Barkley (February 1996 and December 1992) for the most Conference Player of the Month honors in franchise history.

If/when the 26-year old Booker wins a third Player of the Month award, he will be the first in Suns history to do so.

Booker’s accolade comes just two days after teammate Deandre Ayton won his first Player of the Week in the Western Conference for week six. Booker won the award for the whole six-week period, but never won the individual weekly award. Those went to Damian Lillard, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Paul George, Stephen Curry, De’Aaron Fox and Ayton.