Devin Booker entered Tuesday morning on the Phoenix Suns' injury report for their 2023-24 season opener against the Golden State Warriors due to a toe issue. But Booker fought hard to suit up for the Suns, and why shouldn't he have? It was clear from the get-go that Booker wasn't bothered in the slightest by whatever knock he's carrying after torching the Warriors in the very first quarter of their new season.

The Suns made it a point to set Booker up with favorable matchups; one would think that the Warriors would want Klay Thompson on Booker at all times. Instead, there were plenty of possessions where the Suns star went to work against Stephen Curry, making the Dubs play with his mastery of the pull-up game. And by the end of the first quarter, Booker had already put up 15 points on 5-7 shooting from the field and 2-3 shooting from deep, ensuring that the Suns didn't fall behind as the Warriors bench breathed new life into the team.

Any Suns fan would know that this is nothing new for Devin Booker. Booker has gone on plenty of heaters in the past, with the Suns star having a string of games in the 2023 playoffs where he looked unstoppable, that regardless of contest, his midrange jumper was going to be cash.

But now, it's evident that the Suns are Booker's team, not Kevin Durant's — a fact that's been acknowledged in the past. And to Booker's credit, he has done more than enough to justify his place in the offensive hierarchy, especially when he's cooking from deep like he was in the first quarter against the Warriors. Booker even hit a marvelous turnaround and-one jumper over Stephen Curry, just putting his entire offensive arsenal in display.

But of course, one quarter does not a win make. Devin Booker's first quarter excellence notwithstanding, the Suns need to hold the fort and let Booker shine for three more quarters. The Suns' second quarter performance is promising in that regard; they outscored the Warriors, 33-18 during that period, taking a 15-point lead into intermission. But the Warriors, as we've all come to know, can explode at any time and mount a comeback.