Devin Booker

[oddity]

“We do that so many times,” said Suns coach Earl Watson, who began working directly with Booker when he joined the team as a player development assistant in the summer of 2015. “Sometimes, he has to hit 15, 10 in a row. We want to continue to build that to 20 in a row to where we get in the game and it’s a natural flow and a natural feel. We talk about it a lot. We visualize it. We drill it every day.

“We don’t want to put him in pick-and-rolls at the end of games. We want him in isolation so there can’t be a double-team or a trap. If there is, he can pick it off with the pass because he can see it coming and he still has his dribble.”

http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nba/suns/2016/11/05/phoenix-suns-devin-booker-comfort-zone-shots-he-practices/93372448/

With all due respect to Watson, I do not like this. The best teams in this league don't rely on isolation basketball except for the Cavs who have the best in this game. The Warriors never ran isos for Curry the last two years at the end of games when they needed buckets and the Spurs don't run isos for Kawhi at the end of games when they need buckets.

Watson has to run actual plays even if it's pick and roll and trust Booker's judgment and ability to make the right decision if the defense traps. ISO basketball is not a trend in the NBA anymore and no coach should be actively promoting that kind of basketball. Iso basketball is what makes basketball players like Brandon Knight. Sure if you have generational talents like Kobe/MJ/LeBron it makes sense but Booker ain't there yet.

I definitely understand that from a game-winning perspective, but I like going to Booker for end of game ISOs from a player development perspective. What better way to develop a scoring mentality than giving Booker the ball straight up and telling him to make a play for the team. Considering Watson and the Suns are looking at Booker as a future 1st scoring option, I kinda like going to him often at the end of games to start getting him comfortable in those situations for when it's going to be needed a few years down the line.

[NTB]

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"Those are some of the worst days at the beginning of the season last year when I wasn't playing at all," Booker said. "I just never want that feeling again. So when I stepped on the court, I just did everything it took to be out there on the court."

Off the court, Booker found other ways to test himself. He blew through his coaches' shooting drills and then concocted new games for himself. After practice, he would challenge every player in the building to a game of knockout and wouldn't leave until he won.

"He might not ever admit it, but I knew he wanted to make sure that the belief that he belongs on the court had substance to it, that it was backed up," Watson said. "By winning these games, it kept him believing that, 'OK, I belong in this league and I belong on the court.'"

"I learned a different side of this game," Booker said. "When you watch it growing up, you're just a fan of basketball. You don't realize there's a business behind it, and I figured that out quick."

In the span of eight months, Booker had gone from an 18-year-old buried on the bench to the Suns' primary playmaker, and Watson from a player-development novice to interim head coach.

"I had never experienced anything like that, and it was my 16th year," Watson said. "[Booker's] seen the worst and it can only get better."

"To me, the biggest thing is he plays with a really good pace," said Utah Jazz head coach Quin Snyder. "You can't speed him up."

"I had to keep reminding myself that he was only 19," Blazers head coach Terry Stotts said. "Because he looked like a veteran out there, getting to his spot and playing with a lot of confidence."

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2674188-devin-bookers-rise-to-phoenix-suns-star-i-always-knew-i-was-capable-of-this?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=programming-national

[ATTL]

Magic fans calling book a chucker and comparing him to mcw in the Mario thread. Very salty.

[kennydorglas]

"Those are some of the worst days at the beginning of the season last year when I wasn't playing at all," Booker said. "I just never want that feeling again. So when I stepped on the court, I just did everything it took to be out there on the court."

We feel you, Booker.

[NTB]

Watch on YouTube

[Sunsss]

^^Was just gonna post that! NBA channel is hyping him up.

[Qwigglez]

Too lazy to look back in previous pages, but I found this on Youtube.

Watch on YouTube

[NTB]

http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nba/suns/2016/11/13/bender-learned-earn-defense/93782014/

The Suns staff lauds Booker’s work ethic and does not want to limit the 20-year-old’s gym work.

“I think people who limit who limit access to people in the gym never heard of a guy by the name of Kobe Bryant,” Watson said. “You cannot limit the access of players in the gym. It’s like telling our kids they read too much. There’s no such thing. You can’t limit access. That’s what separates longevity, good to great.

“I hope he sleeps in the gym.”

* Warriors coach Steve Kerr on Booker: “He’s a future All-Star for sure. He does a lot of things well and he’s got good size. Good competitor. So I’m a big fan.”

[OnceUponADime]

Too lazy to look back in previous pages, but I found this on Youtube.

Watch on YouTube

D'Angelo seems like a really fun guy. I wish the Lakers put him on the block after the whole recording Nick Young thing so Suns could have got him.

I would trade Bledsoe for him and I actually like Bledsoe's game.

[NTB]

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http://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/devin-booker-is-already-everyones-darling-but-can-he-become-an-actual-star/

[sunsbum]

Is DB's toe still bugging him cause hes playing like dick. I don't expect him to be a 50% shooter but his numbers are real bad right now. Anyone got a word on him?

[dremill24]

He's just shooting like ass

[Zelaznyrules]

Is DB's toe still bugging him cause hes playing like dick. I don't expect him to be a 50% shooter but his numbers are real bad right now. Anyone got a word on him?

I first read this in our game day thread but here's a quote from a Coro/azcentral article prior to the Nets game:

“The toe injury lingers,” Watson said. “He never makes excuses."

[NTB]

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[lilfishi22]

I feel Booker is trying to do too much. Too much in terms of putting up stats for the sake of stats. He needs to pull back a bit and play within the flow of the game. Often on offense he's waiting for the ball when he doesn't have the ball or he's waiting for a screen when he has the ball. It's like he thinks the offense doesn't start until the ball is in his hands.

The problem with this approach is that while he's a good scorer, he isn't at that elite level and he thinks the offense needs to be initiated from him so he's just standing and waiting a lot of the time. He isn't on that Harden, Kobe, prime-Wade level of scoring where you can give him the ball and it's almost an automatic mismatch. He still needs screens and he still needs help in the form of an offensive scheme to get him a good shot. The issue is that when he touches the ball, it often means the offense resets which makes it easier for the defense to tighten up because the flow freezes. When you play within the flow of an offense, it's often the unpredictability of the movement that keeps defenses on their heels and oportunities open up.

Unlike last year when teams didn't plan much for Booker, this year everyone is aware he's one of the guys to watch out for. He doesn't have the surprise factor anymore and what he got away with last year, will be much harder to exploit this year.

[dremill24]

Do we know his catch-and-shoot 3pt percentages? Theres all sorts of other things he can do to improve efficiency but ever since the ASB last season it seems like the one thing that was supposed to be ready-made for the league has been very off. Just my gut feeling on the eye test but it seems like he's missing a ton of those shots that are in most cases pretty open, and good shots tbh. I feel like just an uptick to normalcy in that would do wonders for his shooting numbers.

[lilfishi22]

Do we know his catch-and-shoot 3pt percentages? Theres all sorts of other things he can do to improve efficiency but ever since the ASB last season it seems like the one thing that was supposed to be ready-made for the league has been very off. Just my gut feeling on the eye test but it seems like he's missing a ton of those shots that are in most cases pretty open, and good shots tbh. I feel like just an uptick to normalcy in that would do wonders for his shooting numbers.

30.8% from the 3. He was an excellent 40.9% last season on 3PT catch and shoots.

[kennydorglas]

Do we know his catch-and-shoot 3pt percentages? Theres all sorts of other things he can do to improve efficiency but ever since the ASB last season it seems like the one thing that was supposed to be ready-made for the league has been very off. Just my gut feeling on the eye test but it seems like he's missing a ton of those shots that are in most cases pretty open, and good shots tbh. I feel like just an uptick to normalcy in that would do wonders for his shooting numbers.

He's shooting 25% when he's wide open for 3's.
Obviously this wont continue to happen.

He'll be fine.

[DRK]

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[lilfishi22]

Is that BurningHeart's blazing return to realGM prominence?