Devin Booker did something no player in NBA history had ever done before in the Phoenix Suns‘ 132-111 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night at Footprint Center.
Booker scored 51 points while shooting 20-of-25 from the field, 6-of-7 on three-pointers, and 5-of-6 at the free-throw line. He becomes the first player in NBA history to score 50-plus points while shooting at least 80% on field goals, 80% on threes, and 80% on free throws.
What made the performance even more mind-blowing is that Booker scored those 51 points in just three quarters.
As Bulls beat writer K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago notes, Booker didn’t get his first points until midway through the first quarter. So, Booker essentially scored 51 points in two and a half quarters of basketball.
That’s absolutely ridiculous.
ESPN Stats & Info adds another amazing factoid: “Devin Booker attempted the fourth-fewest combined field goals and free throws in a 50-point game in NBA history.”
And NBC Sports Chicago’s Rob Schaefer tweets that Booker “became one of four players in NBA history to score 50+ points in a game with 25 or fewer shot attempts and in 31 or fewer minutes.”
Here’s a look at how the basketball world is reacting to Booker’s insane performance on Wednesday night:
Devin Booker over his last 2 games:
95 points 12 rebounds 10 assists 7 steals pic.twitter.com/sKVRqqUTTH — FanDuel (@FanDuel) December 1, 2022
KD couldn't believe Devin Booker's performance tonight pic.twitter.com/cDsreudCUp
— Action Network (@ActionNetworkHQ) December 1, 2022