Phoenix Suns Friday Flashback: Booker launches Laker debacle

With the offseason in full swing, every Friday ‘Valley of the Suns’ will delve back into the archives to deliver readers a review into some of the best Phoenix Suns playoff performances of all-time.

When Phoenix Suns’ superstar Devin Booker produced a 47-point barrage in the 2021 playoffs, few could have predicted the kind of mayhem, unrest and speculation it would cause.

Phoenix had finished the regular season as the second seed after a 51-21 record, surprising some as they elevated from lottery team to genuine championship contender. On the other side of the bracket, the Los Angeles Lakers had suffered an injury-plagued and disappointing season, entering as the seventh seed following a championship in the NBA bubble in 2020.

Despite entering as the higher seed, many believed the young Suns would crumble in the face of the experienced superstardom of LeBron James and Anthony Davis. For a while that seemed true, with the Lakers taking a 2-1 lead following dominant victories in games two and three.

But the Suns responded by stealing back home court advantage in game four, then solidifying their position with a blowout 30-point win at home in game five. Game six in Los Angeles appeared to be crucial – who would back against the pedigree of James if the series were to go seven?

Devin Booker’s 47-point explosion didn’t just sink the Los Angeles Lakers 2020-21 season, it launched a disastrous offseason the storied franchise are still trying to fix.

Booker made a statement early in the piece, producing perhaps the most breathtaking 12 minutes of his career. He knocked down six first-quarter triples, delivering his best Stephen Curry impression with some outrageous shotmaking from deep.

That flurry ultimately proved the difference in the contest. The Suns jumped out to a 36-14 after the first period, effectively ending the series and the Lakers season.

To be fair to Los Angeles, they battled over the remainder of the game including a brief threatening run during the third. Unfortunately for them, Booker wasn’t content with his first-quarter heroics as he built one of the best playoff performances in franchise history.

His 47 points came on incredible efficiency, knocking down 15 of his 22 attempts from the field including 8-for-10 from three-point range. He remained a perfect 9-for-9 from the free-throw line, also adding 11 rebounds and three assists in a scintillating display.

The Lakers disappointing exit, less than 12 months after their championship, led to an almighty meltdown they’re still feeling the effects of. The front office completely revamped their roster, trading their championship-proven role players for big names who proved well past their prime.

The most notable was their trade with the Washington Wizards for Russell Westbrook, a move that’s been established as one of the most disastrous of recent NBA history. Their calamitous 2021-22 season ended by missing the playoffs, resulting in the axing of title-winning head coach Frank Vogel.

While all that may have happened regardless, Booker’s remarkable display could still be considered the firestarter to a complete blow-up within one of the league’s most historic teams.