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WATCH: Devin Booker reacts to near triple-double, Suns defeating Blazers 103-97

Phoenix Suns star guard Devin Booker meets with the media after the Suns picked up their fourth-straight win with a narrow 103-97 home victory over the Portland Trail Blazers.

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The Suns showed fight again, as they have all season, outscoring Portland 44-18 in the third quarter after trailing 47-43 at halftime and allowing a 17-4 run to end the second quarter. This means the Suns scored more points in the third than they did the entire first half. Phoenix shot an awful 12-for-44 (27.3%) in the first half, but ended shooting 35-for-93 (37.6%) from the floor and was 17-for-28 (60.7%) in the third.

Phoenix did not perform well in the fourth quarter at all, letting Portland somehow cut its once 26-point lead to only two points. The Suns played with their food and the Blazers made them pay, but it ultimately was not enough. Portland won the fourth quarter 32-16.

After a 1-for-8 first half, Booker ended with 28 points on 9-for-23 shooting, nine assists and nine rebounds, contributing in all facets of the game. This was almost Booker’s first-ever triple double in the regular season.

Some quotes from Booker (via Suns):

  • On how it is hard to win in this league: “Yeah, exactly. You can’t get comfortable. That could have been a game where we sat the second half of the fourth quarter and got some rest, but we were put in a learning experience, which is good. Instead of getting them for the first time later down the season, I think we’ve been in like three or four close games through our five or six so far. So, we have stuff to learn from.”
  • On Grayson Allen’s play: “I mean, we’re going to need him. We know what he’s capable of. He has a quick trigger and people try to run him
    off the line, he’s getting downhill and finishing. Good to see him catch rhythm today.”
  • On Bradley Beal’s’ play: “Yeah. I mean, Brad (Bradley Beal) is the heart of his team. To have him out there and have his energy out there, it’s always needed. He’s still vocal when he’s on the bench, but it’s a different dynamic when he’s out on the court with us. It’s just good to see him healthy. I’ve seen him grab his elbow after that last free throw, so maybe it’s still bothering him, but we will just get it right, get him back and get going.”

Booker also discusses the team’s performance, the quarter rhythm over the past two games, the message at halftime, nearly getting a triple double and Ryan Dunn signing with Nike.

Initial takeaways from Suns’ tight 103-97 victory over Trail Blazers

 

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Brendan Mau is a senior writer covering the Phoenix Suns and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @Brendan_Mau

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