When it is all said and done, Devin Booker could be regarded as the most beloved player in Phoenix Suns' history. Performances like the one he put on in a series-clinching 136-130 Game 5 win versus the Los Angeles Clippers Tuesday night will keep building that case. He even surpassed one of his competitors for that franchise crown.

Booker's magnificent effort, which included 47 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds, propelled him past Charles Barkley for most 30-point playoff games in Suns history, per StatMuse. He also became one of just three players to ever put up those aforementioned numbers, along with four made 3-pointers in a postseason game.

Booker had undoubtedly one of the best close out showings the NBA has ever seen. And Phoenix needed it. Once again, injury-ridden LA pushed the Western Conference favorites to the brink, as Norman Powell and company nearly stormed all the way back from a double-digit fourth quarter deficit. Kevin Durant put the final nail in the Clippers' postseason coffin, but Devin Booker already pushed them in.

He completely took over in the third, scoring an unconscious 25 points to spearhead a momentous Phoenix comeback. The team never looked back and now has their sights set on the Denver Nuggets in what should be an absolute classic if all goes as expected. If Booker hopes to do what Barkley could never and win a NBA Championship, more herculean efforts might be needed in the next series.

It is easy to forget he is just 26 years old. The entire league is witnessing the three-time All-Star at the height of his powers in the 2023 NBA Playoffs. Durant, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton definitely stack the deck, but Booker feels like the desert's darling.