Shaq Says Kevin Durant, Devin Booker Must be 'Dynamic' for Suns to Win
The Phoenix Suns currently find themselves down 2-0 to the Denver Nuggets, with tonight's Game 3 ready to swing the series in either direction.
Phoenix - set to be without Chris Paul thanks to a groin injury - will have to even further rely on the talents of Kevin Durant and Devin Booker to will them to victory.
That's a strategy many believe is the only way out for the Suns, which includes Shaquille O'Neal:
"In order for them to be successful, both guys have to be dynamic," Shaq said (h/t Basketball Network).
"Devin Booker, after that first game, when he was trying to give it back to KD (Kevin Durant) was like, 'You know what, forget that.' He's been playing really good. Kevin's been playing okay but when you're a superstar, you can't play okay when you wanna get to the finals. If both of them can get to 30 points, they will have a chance."
Booker - averaging 35.4 points per game - has been on fire this postseason while Kevin Durant's 27.9 points per night is noteworthy as well.
However, both will have to turn things up a notch in order for the Suns to have a chance at clawing their way back in this series. No team has ever erased a 3-0 series deficit.
There's also pressure on Phoenix's bench to finally show up, something they've yet to do through their entire postseason stretch. Their second unit has been outscored 223-100 in the playoffs, pitching in just four points in Game 2.
Suns coach Monty Williams says TJ Warren and Terrence Ross could be players that feature "significantly" more moving forward.
"Those are two guys that could see significantly more time," Williams said after practice on Wednesday. "Those kinds of decisions only hurt you when you have an injury. Then you wish you could've got those guys a bit more reps to prepare for that. We have these days to get ready for that and the guys who play. We were in a good rhythm right before Chris got hurt."
Game 3 is tonight at 7:00 PM PST.
