Getty Kevin Durant (left) and Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns.
The Phoenix Suns entered Game 4 looking to avoid a daunting 3-1 deficit in their series with the Denver Nuggets. While Suns’ stars Kevin Durant and Devin Booker stole the show once again, Phoenix had contributions from a few unusual suspects in their 129-124 victory. One of those suspects was Suns guard Landry Shamet, the third-leading scorer for Phoenix with 19 points off the bench. Following the win, Durant had high praise for Shamet’s performance.
“Man, the intensity he brought on the ball defensively, that takes us to the next level,’’ Durant told reporters after the win via the HouseofHighlights YouTube page.
“He worked his ass off on the ball. Jamal Murray is an incredible player. That pick-and-roll with him and Jokic is almost unstoppable. But he just played his tail off.”
Suns head coach Monty Williams applauded Shamet for working through a dismal shooting slump in these playoffs. Before Game 4 against the Nuggets, Shamet had not scored in double digits since April 9 in their first-round bout with the Los Angeles Clippers.
“I don’t care who you are, from the elite guys to the guys who are just trying to make it on 10-day contracts, doubt creeps in at some point,’’ Williams said of Shamet via the NBA Interviews YouTube page. “It’s a skill to overcome that and keep working and stay with it. And that’s who he’s been.”
Devin Booker Sounds off on Landry Shamet
It was not just the fact that Shamet provided a much-needed source of offense for the Suns in Game 4, but also the timeliness of his buckets. Most of Shamet’s points came in the fourth quarter when his team needed it the most. Every time the Nuggets would try to make a late push, Shamet would hit a big shot to knock the air out of top-seeded Denver. Suns star Devin Booker says Shamet’s big game is a result of his commitment to day-to-day preparation.
“The people on the outside don’t understand the pressure and the preparation that come with this sport,” Booker said after the win via NBA Interviews.
“It is the highest level. No one is out there intentionally trying to mess up for their team. (Shamet and Ayton) came with it. That is the most impressive part. To hear the outside noise, feel it, and then respond.”
The series is now tied at 2-2, making it a best-out-of-three between the Nuggets and Suns. But despite protecting home court, Monty Williams says now is not the time for the team to let their guards down.
“Our mindset right now is we have a lot more to do,” Williams added.
“You had to win these two games to be in this position, but we said we had to see it and believe it. And now we have to see more and believe more. There’s more work to be done. It’s an even series, and our guys, you could feel it in the locker room. They were excited, but they know that we have a lot of work to do.”
Suns Owner Called Out After Game 5 Incident
The focus now shifts to a pivotal Game 5 between the Nuggets and Suns in Denver. But a looming decision could play a role in the outcome of the series. After a second-quarter altercation with Suns’ owner Mat Ishbia, some wonder whether the league will suspend two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic for the next game. Jokic received a technical foul for making contact with Ishbia, a spectator sitting courtside, however, NBA writer Sam Vecenie believes the Suns’ owner should get the brunt of the blame.
“Why in the world did Ishbia choose to get into Jokic’s personal space? The video makes it look like Ishbia touched Jokic on the big man’s hip/back. And then when Jokic gently pushed Ishbia with his forearm, I knew that this would be “a thing” on the internet. This means it could get messy,” Vecenie writes for The Athletic.
“To recap, Jokic looks over and sees the ref on the sideline point to say it’s Denver’s ball. Jokic goes to the corner and tries to get the ball from the fans because he sees Okogie in the stands, and he wants to start a fast break – something he always tries to do as quickly as possible when he sees a man advantage.”