The Phoenix Suns need Devin Booker literally carry the team’s offense

The Phoenix Suns have lost their last three games in a row, the most recent against two of the worst teams in the league – at home. And Devin Booker didn’t carry the team in any of them

Even with three straight losses at home – the last two to the Detroit Pistons and Golden State Warriors, two of the worst two teams in the league – the Phoenix Suns are still on pace for 32 wins, 13 games better than last year, and their best record since 29-43 in 2014-15.

Had they won those two very winnable games though, they would have been on pace for 34.9 wins – which we could have fairly rounded up to 35.

No doubt that 35 wins would have looked a lot better than 32.

Sure, these were the first three games without the injured Kelly Oubre who is likely lost for the season.

Sure, the team is still not very deep overall and particularly incapable of withstanding the loss of even one of the core players for any length of time.

Sure, Devin Booker is still having a fantastic statistical season with his second-best personal averages in scoring, assists, and rebounds, with his third best 3-point shooting percentage.

And sure, not only has he proven that big scoring games from him do not necessarily  translate to wins they are at least 6-5 in games in which he scores at least 35 points this season, and 2-0 in games in which he has dropped 40 or more (which is a significant upgrade over lat season in which they were 0-3 in his three highest-scoring games).

Yet, in these last two losses (and last three games overall), when the team has needed Booker the most to carry the team over the hump – he has disappeared.

Jody Oehler is totally correct: