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A win wasn't in the cards as Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis returned for the Knicks tonight, and the Suns never seriously challenged, but Devin Booker and TJ Warren continued to flash the potential we're looking for, and newcomer Jordan McRae impressed as well. The 102-84 loss was to be expected.
How did the youngsters fare?
Devin Booker: Another fine performance from the 19 year old rookie sharpshooter. Booker led the Suns with 21 points on 8-15 shooting, though he continued to struggle on defense. The Madison Square Garden stage didn't look too big for Booker, and his poise is one of his greatest traits.
Archie Goodwin: Goodwin threw down a thunderous dunk over rookie phenom Kristaps Porzingis in the third, but he played poorly overall, shooting 3-15 to go along with 4 turnovers and only 6 points. All of Goodwin's weaknesses are still right out in the open for all to see. His night was quintessential Goodwin, with some spectacular plays but an overall negative.
Alex Len: The Suns started the game with a crazy amount of turnovers, and Len was a primary culprit with 3. Len could certainly be helped by guards feeding him in better position, but he still looks awkward with the ball. He finished with 6 points, 7 rebounds, 4 turnovers and 3 fouls in 17 minutes.
T.J. Warren: Warren had another game of scoring efficiently, tallying 12 points in 20 minutes on 5-9 shooting. He provides one of the few scoring threats the Suns can count on consistently.
Jordan McRae: A player Suns fans went into the night asking, "who?", D-League signee McRae provided a jolt of energy to the Suns in the first half, displaying the best PG skills of any active Sun tonight. He scored 12 with 4 assists, and led a second unit which kept the game from being an even bigger blowout.
Not much to see here if looking for a competitive NBA game, but some more flashes shown by the youngsters. That's all we can hope for at this point.