Devin Booker sets NBA mark for most points (59) in biggest loss (33)

Almost exactly two years ago today, precocious 20-year old Devin Booker led a ragtag Phoenix Suns lineup that included four rookies against Boston’s league-leading defense and dropped 70 points in a 10-point loss that was not as close as the final score.

Now that Phoenix is two years further into their rebuild around Booker, the still-precocious 22 year old Booker... got to lead a ragtag Suns lineup that included not four but FIVE rookies against Utah’s league-leading defense and dropped 59 points in a (gulp) 33 point loss. Booker made 19 of 34 shots.

Booker played the game with

• five rookies (three of whom were taken in the second round)
• Dragan Bender
• Troy Daniels
• Jimmer Fredette.

That’s basically it. They got only 9 minutes of Richaun Holmes before he was ejected for arguing a foul call. Not a single non-rookie would play on any team’s rotation for 20+ minutes.

And yet in his 41 minutes with various four-man combos of that group, the Suns were outscored only by 13 points. Booker assisted on 4 of his teammates 12 made shots.

Booker made 19 shots. The rest of the team made 12. In the seven minutes he wasn’t playing, the Suns were outscored by 20.

The first 47 of Booker’s points kept the Suns in the game. They were outscored by only 13 in his 41 minutes, and the score at the end of the third quarter was 88-74.

And oh yeah, let’s not forget that all Booker needed to add to that roster was a semi-functional NBA level guard in Tyler Johnson and another NBA level wing in Kelly Oubre Jr. he led the Suns to 6 wins in 10 games, including wins over Golden State and Milwaukee in the span of a week, before they got hurt.

So maybe it’s not Booker’s fault?

Yet, that’s what basketball world will think.

He’s now made history for the second time, and it’s not a good history to be in. However, there is a silver lining in that Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain have been there before.

So we’re saying there’s a chance that Booker can survive this kind of reputation if the Suns can just get their crap together.

Ahh... Rimmer Fredette (courtesy of Bob Young) at least got in his eight second half shots, half of which were blocking Booker getting to 60.

But at least Fredette TRIED to get to double digits in scoring.

okay, okay, let’s turn to some positive tweets about Booker from non-Suns fan or media.

Ready to watch him score?

That final bucket, with three Jazz players draped all over him, was pure magic.