Phoenix Suns: 3 Adjustments to Make for NBA Finals Game 4
By Kyle Manthe
Phoenix Suns Game 4 Adjustment: Devin Booker
The most obvious place to first address Devin Booker‘s shortcoming’s in Game 3 can be found with his minutes played, which stood at just 29 once the dust settled. Disregarding games that were decided early, it came as the lowest total for Booker all postseason by a whopping nine minutes.
In his four previous playoff losses, Booker averaged over 41 minutes played. So just getting Booker back on the court full-time, assuming he is healthy, is a glaring way to improve.
When Booker is on the court, the way he plays also needs to be tinkered with in order to maximize his effectiveness. In Game 1, Booker shot 10-10 from the free-throw line, but in the two games following—he only took five free throws total, with all of them actually coming in Game 3.
This is in direct correlation to the fact that half of Booker’s 14 shot attempts came from deep, where he went 1-7. That is something he has done only one other time in the playoffs.
Booker will need to get downhill more, both into the mid-range, and at the rim, while hopefully finding ways to use his speed as well if the Bucks continue to put PJ Tucker on him. Doing that will force the Bucks to decide between letting Booker either score, get fouled, open up shooters in the corner, or open up Deandre Ayton down low. But if Booker continues to play from the outside and not connecting from deep, it limits what the offense can do.