Rookie sensation Devin Booker is stepping up for the Suns

By Francisco Romero

The Phoenix Suns have been having a hard time winning lately. On Tuesday night the Suns lost to the Indiana Pacers 116-97.

Due to injuries to key players, including Brandon Knight, who was out of the game because of an illness, the Suns only had 10 available players against the Pacers.

Eric Bledsoe has been out with a knee injury and on Tuesday Alex Len and Ronnie Price were also not available to play.

Suns’ rookie sensation Devin Booker took it upon himself to make sure he stepped up his game in the absence of key players.

Booker started the game and finished with 19 points. He was 8-for-12 from the field including a three-pointer in29 minutes of play. This was Bookers’ ninth start of the season.

At only 19 years old, Bookers’ season has been solid.

Booker is no stranger to success as he played last year with the University of Kentucky Wildcats. The Wildcats finished last year with a record of 38-1 losing to Wisconsin in the Final Four.

So far this season Booker has been to accomplish many feats:

• Made his NBA debut on Oct. 28 against Dallas, becoming second 18-year-old to play in Suns history (Maciej Lampe) and scored 14 points to become youngest Sun with double-digit points in a game.

• Posted his first career double-double with 17 points and a career-high 10 rebounds vs. Charlotte on Jan. 6; made a career-high seven field goals and extended his career long double-digit scoring streak to four straight.

• Made his first NBA start (and first start since high school) at San Antonio on Nov. 23, becoming the youngest Sun to ever start a game (19 years, 24 days). Scored four points in 24 minutes.
• Posted back-to-back games of 10+ points for first time with 10 on 5-6 FG vs. Cleveland on Dec. 28.

The future is now for Devin Booker; the Suns will travel to Boston to face the Celtics on Tuesday, it will be a treat to watch this rising Sun play.