Booker struggles in 1st quarters, usually his strength.

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00:00Welcome to our breakdown of Devin Booker's challenging start to the season.

00:05Phoenix. While Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns is currently averaging a career high of 29.2

00:10points per game, with a shooting percentage of 47.4%, these statistics do not fully capture

00:16the struggles he has faced at the beginning of this season. Booker is known for his calm

00:20demeanor on the court, remaining composed despite intense defensive strategies aimed

00:24at limiting his effectiveness. However this season, he appears to be out of sync,

00:29which is concerning. He is not one to shy away from acknowledging his performance.

00:33After scoring 31 points on 10 of 19 shooting in the season opener, he referred to his play as

00:38nasty. A similar level of performance was evident in the loss on Wednesday.

00:43This is particularly troubling given that the first quarter has historically been a strong point for

00:47him. Over the past several seasons, Booker has consistently excelled at starting games effectively.

00:52In terms of points scored in the first quarter, he is ranked among the top players in the league,

00:56achieving notable shooting percentages in that time frame. As of Thursday, he is ranked 59th and has

01:01a shooting percentage of 32%. Booker explained the decline in his performance by saying,

01:06I'm just getting acquainted, it's another new system and we're still trying to figure each other out

01:10after 5 games, including, spacing, and making shots. I felt like I had some good opportunities in

01:17the first quarter that just didn't go in. When looking at Booker's shooting percentages by quarter,

01:21they are 32%, 37.5%, 59.4%, and 57.1% respectively. It's important to remember that

01:31we are only 5 games into the season, each game presents different challenges, and it has been

01:36a week of adjustments. However, it is becoming increasingly important for him to find his rhythm,

01:41especially as the team struggles with inconsistent performances, particularly in the first halves of

01:47games. Let's explore some potential issues that could be affecting his performance.

01:51One of the most straightforward explanations is the current state of the Phoenix roster,

01:58which has been dealing with injuries at the start of the season. Jalen Green, for instance,

02:03has not yet played due to a right hamstring strain, and even when Booker is on the court,

02:07he stands out as the premier ball handler, playmaker, and initiator for the team.

02:12This was a significant concern at the beginning of the season, as it was clear that with a roster

02:17lacking in talent, it was essential for Booker to perform at his highest level for the team to

02:22achieve a win total exceeding the low 30s. However, he is currently carrying the entire load,

02:27and the impact of this is evident. His turnover rate has reached 15.8%, which would mark the highest

02:33figure of his career, surpassing even the early years when he was still gaining experience and had

02:38fewer skilled teammates around him. The Phoenix team is allowing an average of 27.4 points per

02:43game from turnovers, which is four points more than any other team, and represents the highest

02:48figure recorded in NBA.com's statistics database, which spans over 25 years. Colin Gillespie has made

02:54a strong impression at the start of the season, embodying the type of point guard that would ideally

02:59compliment Booker more frequently. However, based on a limited sample size of just 69 minutes across

03:04five games, the Suns' offensive performance has been inconsistent. The combined rating of the two

03:09players on the floor together stands at 109.6, which is slightly lower than Phoenix's current

03:14offensive rating of 110.7, placing them 25th in the league. Once Green returns to full health,

03:21the current lineup may be too small to effectively start games. The expectation is that when Green is

03:26back, Gillespie will step in during Green's rest periods to play alongside Booker, providing him with a

03:32more suitable backward partner. Another important aspect is spacing. Mark Williams is expected to

03:37significantly alleviate pressure as he draws the most attention from opposing defenses, allowing Booker

03:42more room to operate. However, aside from Williams, there aren't many other players that defenders are

03:47concerned about leaving open. While Phoenix has some capable shooters, they often find themselves

03:53unguarded. Even Grayson Allen, who's known for his shooting ability, sometimes sees his defender

03:57drift too far inside. Given these considerations, the question arises, are Booker's turnovers primarily

04:03due to decision-making or spacing issues? He responded, it's more about decision-making than

04:08spacing. I need to control the ball much better. There is also the context of our current situation,

04:14as Booker has already mentioned. The team is dealing with injuries, including Dylan Brooks,

04:18who has been absent for the last two games. Additionally, this is a brand new program that has only been in

04:23place for a week and has had to start off on the back foot due to the absence of two of its three

04:27key players throughout the entire preseason. Therefore, there is no immediate cause for alarm.

04:35On the other hand, many observers, including myself, have anticipated a significant resurgence

04:41for Booker this season, based on his performance throughout his time in the Valley. The challenging

04:46environment he faced over the past two seasons clearly took a toll on him. The question now is when

04:52he will emerge from that difficult situation, which he managed to largely avoid at the beginning of his

04:57career. For the moment, we continue to wait, and it feels like the anticipation is stretching out over

05:03the next few weeks. So, what are your thoughts on Booker's performance so far this season?

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