(The original text was published on May 8, and the author is Sam Inn of CBS Sports. The content of the article does not represent the translator’s point of view)
If you were told that a player averaged 26 points field goal percentage 47.6%, what would you think? This data is stable, right? In the season when Rose got the MVP of the regular season, the average score (25) and shooting efficiency (44.5%) were both lower. Therefore, if the regular season can reach this level, it will be at least recognized by the best team. If the playoffs can have this level, it will be incredible. The feeling of Booker is the most appropriate description of Booker’s current performance.
To be honest, Booker’s performance may not be described as incredible enough. After all, Booker’s personal data for this year’s playoffs is not only 26 points field goal percentage 47.6%, but also the level of his worst performances. In the opening game of the playoffs, Booker scored 26 points against the Clippers and shot 10 out of 19. After that, Booker scored less than 30 in only one match. In the first round match G4 with the Clippers, Booker just got 30 points and shot only 10 out of 21. This is one of the only two games that Booker has lost more than he has shot in the playoffs this year.
This is Devon Booker in the playoffs. He dragged the sun back to the same starting line as the Nuggets from the situation where it was almost swept. After falling behind the Nuggets 0-2 in the second round of the playoffs, Booker scored 83 points in the past two games, more than 79% field goal percentage, helping the sun to catch up with the big score in the series. It is worth emphasizing that Booker still ignored his teammates in the opposite defense and did it bag clip him. Booker also took this opportunity to punish the opponent, sending 12 assists in the G4 win. Subsequently, Booker became the first player in NBA history to score at least 35 points in two consecutive playoff games and hit more than 75%.
If Booker continues to be hot, you will hear a lot of “NBA history” and “Booker” appear at the same time. Although the playoffs only reach the second round at present, Booker is making history every time he steps on the court. According to this development trend, Booker is getting closer to the title of “best personal playoff offensive performance in NBA history”, based on the following:
Booker has averaged 36.8 points in the playoffs so far. Of all the players who played at least eight playoff games in a single season (that is, at least two rounds of series), Booker ranked fourth in NBA history. All the three players before him came from 60 years ago: Elgin Baylor in 1961 (38.1 points per game) and Elgin Baylor in 1962( 38.2 points per game) and Jerry West in 1965 (40.6 points per game). Who are the two players following Booker? Michael Jordan averaged 36.7 points in two playoff games and 35.3 points in 2009.
Booker playoff has field goal percentage 61.7% so far. This will set a new record of scorer shooting rate with an average of more than 30 points in NBA playoff games, surpassing O’Neal () in the 1998 playoff. In order to find a scorer with a higher hit rate (at least eight playoff games), the threshold needs to be lowered. The field goal percentage of the 1985 James wosi playoff games was 62.2%, but his average score was only 21.5 points.
Booker’s three-point shooting rate has been close to 51% since the playoffs. In NBA history, there were only 8 scorers with an average of more than 20 points, and they hit more than half of the three points in a single playoff (at least once in each game). Booker was the first scorer in history to achieve this feat with an average of more than 30 points.
Booker has only 6 free throws so far in the playoffs. In NBA history, only Curry and Jabbar scored more than 30 points in a single playoff game, with fewer free throws.
It is worth mentioning that Booker did not take advantage of certain rules or aimed at the weakest point of the opponent’s defensive end, that is to say, Booker may continue his unstoppable performance in future matches. We have witnessed Booker’s unparalleled shooting ability, and he can reach rim almost every time.
If solar energy survives this round of series, they still need Booker to continue playing like this. Durant has done enough, and there are a lot of data showing that both his performance and Booker’s performance are the key to the success of the sun. The Sun paid Paul an annual salary of more than 30 million dollars, but now he is sitting on the bench due to injury. Even when Paul was healthy, almost all his offensive data were the lowest in the career playoffs. Elton only got 4 points in the last game, and later he was replaced by Landale. Thanks to the four-and-three-pointer in the fourth quarter of Shamet, The Sun managed to win the series G4. You know, in the last game, the sun except Booker and Durant, the whole team top scorer only 7 points.
The Sun has the ambition to win the championship and also has a pair of champion-level double teams like Booker and Durant. But other players don’t look like they can win the championship now. Of course, not all champions rosters lists are perfect. The gap between teams this year is not large. If the best players in the team are good enough, there is room to tolerate the defects in the lineup. Obviously, the current Booker has exceeded the standard of “good enough. As long as he continues to maintain this momentum and leads the Sun to win another 10 games, it is difficult to deny that Booker’s performance in this year’s playoffs is the greatest playoff offensive performance in NBA history.
Original: Sam Inn
Compile: Li Taibai
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