The Phoenix Suns were hit with an unfortunate development earlier in the month when reports came out that Devin Booker would be out for 7-10 days after Booker sustained an ankle injury. Given how top-heavy the Suns' roster is, an absence from one of its stars can be truly detrimental to their hopes of clinging onto their current outright playoff spot in the Western Conference. But Grayson Allen appears to have put his foot down and told Booker that he should take his time in recovery, for he got it covered.

Allen had already popped off during the Suns' epic victory against the reigning champion Denver Nuggets, making eight threes en route to dropping 28 points in a win that had them exorcising their fourth-quarter demons. But the 28-year-old shooting guard shows that that shooting outburst was no mere fluke.

Grayson Allen did not need much time to get going during their Thursday night contest against the Toronto Raptors. Allen, in the first quarter alone, popped off for seven threes, setting the Suns franchise record for most threes in a single quarter. In nailing seven threes, he was also able to set his personal career-best for points in a single quarter, with 21. He finished the game with 26 points in a 120-113 Suns win.

Grayson Allen seemed like more of a throwaway piece in the deal that sent Deandre Ayton to the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for Jusuf Nurkic. Allen has been a reliable floor-spacer and a feisty defender over the past few seasons for the Milwaukee Bucks, but the polarizing sharpshooter has taken his game to the next level in his first season in the Valley.

RECOMMENDED (Article Continues Below)
Chris Finch in the center, Kevin Garnett on the left, Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert to his right.

Sheldon Wohlman ·

Karl-Anthony Towns front and center saying “I’m sacrificing” next to Naz Reid and Devin Booker.

Sheldon Wohlman ·

cG9zdDoyODE5NTg2-thumbnail

Brian Buyawe ·

Nearly everyone in the NBA can shoot these days, but Allen is no mere floor spacer. First of all, he's shooting a torrid 47.1 percent from deep on nearly six attempts per game, so under no circumstances can any team leave him open from beyond the arc. Second of all, he can do a bit of creation off the dribble, and he also rarely looks lost on defense.

With Devin Booker out, the Suns needed Grayson Allen to step up, and that's exactly what he has done.