PHOENIX — The Phoenix Suns are suiting up for a brand new week that could pose several challenges – beginning tonight against the Philadelphia 76ers – but there is a development over the last week that must be celebrated first.
Suns superstar G Devin Booker won Western Conference player of the week for the week of October 28-November 3 after a statement showing across the trio of Suns’ victories.
From the Suns:
In the three games, Booker averaged 33.7 points on 48.4% shooting, plus 6.3 assists, 5.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals. After a 33-point performance to open the week in a win over the Lakers, he scored a season-high 40 points on Halloween night in Los Angeles against the Clippers, setting the newly opened Intuit Dome arena scoring record. In the same game, he moved into fifth on the Suns all-time assists list, surpassing Jason Kidd.
This marks Booker’s 10th career Player of the Week honor. He most recently won the award on Jan. 29 of last season, while this marks his third Player of the Week honor since the start of the 2023-24 season, the second-most by a Western Conference player over that span.
Through six games this season, Booker is averaging 26.7 points, 5.7 assists, 4.2 rebounds and a career-best 1.2 steals, shooting 46.2% from the field and 40.0% from three-point range. He has helped guide the Suns to a 5-1 record to begin the season, tied as the best start in franchise history through the first six games of a season, and currently sits 978 points away from surpassing Walter Davis as the Suns all-time scoring leader.Suns’ press release on Booker
Booker rolled in the first week of his age-28 season in grand fashion – with the Intuit Dome scoring record being the fifth arena he has laid claim to that very record (Indiana, Phoenix, Boston, Utah). He also took a massive leap from a playmaking perspective from week one to two – and has carried the defensive mentality that carried him during the Team USA run to a gold medal in the Summer Olympics.
The 10th-year vet is poised to not only secure his fifth All-Star selection this season, but also a third All-NBA team – and potentially playing into being a dark-horse MVP candidate in hopes of also leading Phoenix to a high seed in the West playoff picture.
Booker’s next opponents bode well for a second consecutive claim to the award as well – as he historically plays phenomenal basketball against Philadelphia (28.9 PPG), while the Miami Heat are still seeking out an identity – and the Sacramento Kings have many questions on the defensive side of the ball.
Congrats to Book!