"Fucking ridiculous": the NBA is trying to digest Booker's historic performance - voila! sport

Tiktukno: summary of the day's events in sports, 1.12 (Sport1)

One of the most impressive individual performances of recent years in the NBA was recorded tonight (between Wednesday and Thursday) and was recorded in the name of Devin Booker.

The Suns star exploded with 51 points in three quarters (!) against Chicago, after finishing the first half with 25 points, and added no less than 26 in the third quarter.

The crowd responded, of course, with chants of "MVP, MVP", before Booker went down to the bench and watched his team maintain the lead on the way to 113:132 at the end.

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Booker has been known throughout his career as an efficient scorer, but tonight he outdid himself.

Pay attention to the percentages: 20 of 25 from the field (!), 6 of 7 from beyond the arc, 5 of 6 from the penalty box, and to all of these he also added 4 rebounds, 6 assists and only 2 turnovers, in 31 minutes of play.

He is only the second player in the last 25 years to score at least 50 points on 80 percent of the field in three quarters.

The first to do so was James Harden, in 2017.

"There is no level where he can't score," gloated Monty Williams.

"He can use both hands, score with one hand in his face, and he is ready to throw hard shots."

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Booker became the fourth player this season to score 50 or more points in a game.

This is the fourth time he has done so throughout his career (only Stephen Curry has more in the last 25 years) and the first since 2019, but his personal best (70 points in a loss to Boston in 2017) is still a long way off.

Either way, the Suns star is benefiting from Chris Paul's absence so far and is averaging career highs this season in points per game (29), field goal percentage (48.9), rebounds (5.3), steals (1.1) and blocks (0.5), despite only dropping 2.6 rebounds. For the evening - lower than his career average (3.1).

"I felt like the ring was twice the size," he said at the end.

"I knew if I threw, it would go in."

Bulls coach Billy Donovan admitted: "We threw everything at him. Double guards, zone defense, personal defense, he was great."

Zac Lavin summed it up best of all: "When someone like him gets into the groove, it's too late. It's over."

Kevin Durant: "It's fucking ridiculous"

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* There was also a wonderful offensive performance at Boston's TD Garden, where Jayson Tatum scored 49 points on Miami's head.

This is the third time this season that the star has scored 40 or more points in a game, and he continues to look like a leading candidate for the title of MVP.

Tatum, who was accurate 15 of 25 from the field and 8 of 12 from outside the arc, added 11 rebounds, promised at the end: "I've already scored 50 points a few times, I'll do it again one day."

This time the Celtics didn't need it from him, with a fifth straight win and 14 of their last 15 games.

Durant also complimented Tatum

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* Without Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum, New Orleans received a wonderful performance from Zion Williamson, who scored a season-high 33 points (12 of 15 from the field) along with 10 rebounds, 4 steals and two blocks in a 108:126 win over Toronto.

He is the third player in history to put up such numbers, after Amar'e Stoudemire in 2008 and Ben Simmons in 2020.

"I told him in the locker room, he was a monster tonight," coach Willie Green said.

"He carried us. He makes the right move, time after time."

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* The Lakers recovered and defeated Portland 109:128.

LeBron James (31 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists) and Anthony Davis (27 and 12 rebounds) as usual led, but the surprising star this time was Austin Reaves, with 22 points.

"He just makes winning moves, it seems like he never makes a mistake," LeBron complimented the second-year player who was not drafted at all.

"He's very, very smart, and I've always been comfortable playing with high-IQ players."

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* According to reports in the United States, the Lakers are currently inclined to keep Russell Westbrook, and make smaller trades with more modest contracts, such as those of Kendrick Nunn and Patrick Beverly.

"The next 5-10 games will determine what they will do," noted athletic reporter Jovan Bohe.

• sport

• NBA

Tags

• Devin Booker

• Jason Tatum

• LeBron James

• Zion Williamson