The mark of a great player is the ability to affect the flow of the game without scoring and Devin Booker understands this. Yesterday evening against the Kings, he struggled to get his shot to fall. At the half, Booker was 1-7 in field goals but he was able to still benefit his team by dishing nine assists as well as nabbing three steals total in the game. Eventually, he heated up and scored 20 points in the second half, finishing up the game with 25 points and ultimately helping the Suns secure the 130-125 victory.

In the postgame press conference, Booker spoke about affecting the game even when his shot wasn't falling.

“I try to control all the other parts of the game. I'm not turning the ball over still. Make sure that my teammates are involved and talk at eye level and defend at eye level. I've went through stretches more than one game. Stretches where you might feel I'm getting open shots and they're just not falling. But, I'm confident in making those. So obviously continue shooting. Make sure it doesn't affect all the other parts of the game.”

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The Suns were constructed to be an offensive juggernaut this past offseason with the addition of Bradley Beal from Washington. However, Beal has missed significant time this season, only playing in 30 of the Suns's 54 games. Beal exited the game in the first quarter with a hamstring injury, increasing the need for Devin Booker to be a game-changer alongside Kevin Durant.

The Suns ultimately emerged victorious due to Booker's ability to find a way to be effective through his early shooting slump, eventually finding his shot and taking over the game in the second half. This could be an effective strategy post-All-Star break as the team steadies the ship to prepare for a postseason run.

The Suns face off against the Detroit Pistons tonight at 9 PM EST in their last matchup before the All-Star break.