Phoenix superstar Devin Booker isn’t wishing ill fortune on any of the teams that lie in the Suns’ path for a Western Conference play-in berth.
But he’s not exactly wishing them the best of luck, either, as Booker and his squad prepare for a home tilt against the in-form Chicago Bulls on Wednesday.
The Suns (32-37), currently in 11th position in the West, are one win behind the 10th-place Dallas Mavericks and three games in arrears of the ninth-place Sacramento Kings.
“We need to win games,” Booker said. “I’m not praying on nobody’s downfall, but hopefully they (Dallas and Sacramento) lose soon and we can sneak into that 10th, maybe ninth, spot and handle business when we get there.”
Booker scored 27 points Monday night as Phoenix kicked off a five-game homestand in eye-catching fashion with a 129-89 rout of the Toronto Raptors.
A 39-11 second-quarter demolition paved the path for the Suns’ largest victory margin this season.
“Everybody really executed on the defensive end,” Phoenix coach Mike Budenholzer said. “Communication, physicality, scrambling, covering for each other … it was good.”
The Suns had 13 players hit the scoreboard, including seven who posted double digits.
Kevin Durant (26.4 points per game) and Booker (25.7) both rank among the league’s top 10 scorers. The pair need to keep posting solid numbers — what with Phoenix’s third and fourth-leading scorers out injured.
Guards Bradley Beal (hamstring) and Grayson Allen (foot) missed the Toronto thrashing and will be sidelined against Chicago, too.
Josh Giddey has missed the Bulls’ past three games with a sprained left ankle, but is reportedly progressing well in his recovery. The Australian is expected to return either against the Suns or the following night against the Kings, but will not play both.
Despite Giddey’s absence, Chicago (29-39) has continued to make unexpected waves. The Bulls marched to their fifth win in their last six games by comfortably beating the Jazz 111-97 Monday in Utah.
Coby White had 26 points while Tre Jones enjoyed his first double-double of the season with 18 points, 12 assists and three steals. Kevin Huerter and Matas Buzelis each chipped in 17 points, Dalen Terry added 12 points and Nikola Vucevic added 10 points and 10 rebounds.
“We’re staying with our identity, we’re playing fast,” said Jones, who played his best game since becoming a Bull as part of the three-team Zach LaVine trade in February. “We’re getting stops, getting out and running and trying to wear teams out.
“We’ve seen it in most of our wins lately — third, fourth quarter, we are wearing teams out and we’re able to chip away. Just being able to get up and down in transition opens up the lane for me to get downhill and find guys when I get into the paint.”
While Chicago has been in rich form lately, history is not on its side.
The Bulls have lost their past 10 clashes with the Suns and last tasted victory against Phoenix on March 18, 2019.
–Field Level Media
