Devin Booker scored 70 points on Friday, becoming the sixth player in NBA history to reach that vaunted plateau. Booker’s season high was just 39 points (which happened thrice), and he credited Kobe Bryant with making sure he never set limits on himself or his game.
Here’s why Devin Booker credited Kobe Bryant for his 70-point game
Booker joined Kobe in the 70-point brotherhood, and he immediately shouted him out after the game.
I’ve seen an interview with Kobe where he said, what separated him from a lot of people was everyone thought 30 points was a lot. He said, he never set himself a limit. And you know, that always sticks in my head. He said he’d score 100 if he could, so he never had a limit. I don’t put a limit on anything. I want to be the best in life in all parts of life, not just basketball. So I never set my limit to, ‘I want 40 points.’ I know I had 39 a few times. I want 40 points, I want 50 points. The most I can get. I don’t want no limit on my game.
Still, the Suns lost in a game that was never really close, despite the final score of 130-120. Booker made it clear he still cares about winning, despite the 70 points.
After the game, the Suns television broadcast brought his dad on air to talk to his son in an amazing moment. When asked to talk to his parents, Booker said the same thing about still wanting to win.
Devin Booker: “Man, just both of my parents. My father and my mother. I wouldn’t be here in this situation without them. So I appreciate everything you’ve done for me pops. I appreciate everything you’ve done for me mom. And you know, it’s not finished yet. And I was saying the whole game, I wish it had come with a win, so that’s my next thing: start winning. But playing a really good team, a playoff team like the Boston Celtics, it’s tough.”
Still, that damn sure isn’t going to stop Phoenix from celebrating an absolutely wild performance from their 20-year-old phenom — nor should it!
Suns head coach Earl Watson called timeouts and took one intentional foul in the final couple minutes of play, crucial stoppage periods that helped Booker score 16 points in the final two-plus minutes. Of course it was done to help Booker score as many points as possible.
Still, nobody from Phoenix is denying that — not even Booker himself.
Boston wasn’t really upset, or at least it didn’t seem like it — after all, the Celtics won and they’re the playoff team here. As Isaiah Thomas said:
This was an amazing moment to witness, with Devin Booker doing something truly incredible. He’s the youngest player to ever score 60 (not to even mention 70).
