We have ourselves a series! Despite Chris Paul being out of the lineup for the second straight game, the Phoenix Suns have knotted up the series with the Denver Nuggets on the strength of 72! combined points from superstars Devin Booker & Kevin Durant.
Durant got it going early with 11 points in the first, including a ridiculous, fadeaway jumper (via a “touchdown pass” from Booker) as the quarter ended. Book, on the other hand, lit it up in the 3rd, scoring 17! of his 36 points in that frame.
KD & Booker have proven their ability to carry PHX to a winning result, regardless of how much (offensive) help they receive from other teammates.
The X-Factor/unsung hero, however, was oft-maligned, reserve shooter Landry Shamet. Shamet, who only scored 7 total points in Games 1-3, went off for 19! points, 12 of which came in the fourth quarter. He constantly found himself wide open as DEN tried to key in on Book & KD in the final period - after struggling to capitalize most of these playoffs, Shamet found a real flow after a couple of shots fell in.
Phoenix’s bench, led by Shamet, outscored Denver’s 40-11!, a significant shift in the theme of this series.
Besides the obvious importance of tying the series, it’s a huge moral victory (as well) that PHX won both without Paul and with Nikola Jokić putting up an insane line of 53! & 11! dimes - the Suns have a right to feel confident that the series is now “theirs to lose.”
We’re inching towards “must-win” territory for Denver - Game 5 is shaping up as an instant classic.