Kevin Durant’s Suns debut, winners & losers: Devin Booker shines as new-look squad impresses vs. Hornets
A new era officially dawned in Phoenix when Kevin Durant made his first appearance in a Suns uniform at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte and led his new roster to a 105-91 win.
Not only was it Durant’s first game for the Suns, but his first since Jan. 8 after sustaining an MCL sprain that left him 19 games out.
It wasn’t long before Durant showed exactly why the Suns have quickly become one of the favorites for the NBA championship, putting up 23 points, six rebounds, two assists and two blocks in a ruthlessly efficient 10-of-15 field and 2-of-4 from the 3-point line in just 26 minutes.
Who were the winners and losers in Durant’s Suns debut? The Sporting News takes a closer look:
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Winner: Kevin Durant
Durant showed no sign of rust after nearly two months on the sidelines and played 26 minutes on his debut as he knocked down jumper after jumper.
Within the first few minutes of his debut for the Suns, he seamlessly showed why the Suns will be feared on both sides of the ball, scoring a block on one side and a three on the other.
“It’s pretty cool to be able to give a guy the ball and he can get to his point and get a really good shot.” Suns head coach Monty Williams said after the game.
Durant’s skills allow him to fit into any combination of lineups offensively, but his influence on the defensive end alongside Deandre Ayton in the front line provided many encouraging signs.
As Monty Williams said after the game, Durant’s rim protection could “allow DA [Deandre Ayton] to be more aggressive at pick and rolls” knowing he has another long defender backing him up.
Loser: Minutes from Torrey Craig
Craig had started 49 of the 59 games he played this season before tonight’s competition, but on Wednesday night the 3&D wing found themselves on the bench in Charlotte and Josh Okogie came on the starting lineup.
Okogie, who made just six starts for the Suns this season, replaced Craig at the small forward, who played just 15 minutes, well below his 25.8 season average.
Last season, Okogie was on the Minnesota Timberwolves’ bench, now he finds himself alongside Chris Paul, Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Deandre Ayton.
Monty Williams said before the game that the fifth starter will depend on matchups throughout the season, but the fight between Okogie and Craig will be one to watch.
Winner: Hornets fans
Whenever one of the league’s true superstars comes to town, there’s a different energy in the building and on Wednesday night all eyes were on Durant.
this is that third times Durant played in Charlotte this season and gave fans an up-close look at one of the best players in the game.
Prior to this season, Durant had only played five times at Charlotte since 2017, dating back to his time with the Golden State Warriors.
Losers: Opposing full-backs
With Durant fitting in seamlessly as a power forward, Devin Booker has been shattered from the attention of the opposing team’s top defender and now finds himself with open scoring chances that simply weren’t there before Durant’s arrival.
The thought of Booker coming off the screens, going downhill for fastbreak buckets and emerging from across the arc in a single coverage should send shivers down opponents’ spines.
Booker was already one of the league’s top scorers, now he has even more time and space to make teams alongside Durant pay.
He finished the night with 37 points, seven assists and six rebounds.
Winner: Sun’s Championship Odds
What a difference a few weeks make.
On Jan. 18, the Suns’ title hopes appeared to be in trouble and sat 21-24 in 12th place in the Western Conference standings, with injuries to Chris Paul and Devin Booker derailing their early-season play.
MORE: How Sun’s futures have changed after Kevin Durant’s blockbuster trade
On February 1st they were nowhere near the NBA’s elite teams in terms of betting odds at 16/1 but fast forward to today and now only the Boston Celtics have a better chance of winning the title according to Bet MGM.
In today’s NBA, championship windows can close in an instant, and after the Suns came so close in the 2021 NBA Finals their window seemed to be shrinking, but with Durant’s arrival that opened wide.