An inability to contain Devin Booker for the seventh straight time, poor bench play | Sixers-Suns best/worst awards
This was Booker's seventh straight game with 30 or more points against the Sixers. Philly was outscored, 49-20, in bench points.
PHOENIX — The 76ers’ bench is getting exposed.
It came up short for the second straight game. This time, it was a main factor in the Sixers’ suffering a 120-111 road loss to the Phoenix Suns on Saturday.
Here’s a look at the best and worst awards from the loss to the Suns:
Best performance
Devin Booker gets this. The Phoenix Suns shooting guard scored a game-high 36 points, of which 24 came in the second half. Booker ended up torching everyone who guarded him from the second quarter on. It marked his third consecutive game with 30 or more points of the season and was his seventh straight game with 30 or more points against the Sixers. It is the longest 30-plus-point streak against the Sixers since Michael Jordan did it 13 times from 1987 to 1989. Booker is averaging 37.6 points versus the Sixers in those seven games.
» READ MORE: Sixers lose, 120-111, in Phoenix as Devin Booker, bench give Suns edge in win
Worst performance
Furkan Korkmaz gets this. The Sixers reserve swingman missed all five of his shot attempts en route to finishing with four points. He was also a minus-13 for the game.
Best defensive performance
Dario Saric gets this. The Suns reserve power forward finished with a season-high four steals. Not to be outdone, he also had season highs of 15 points and four assists against his former team. That’s not bad considering Saric missed the previous 13 games with a sprained left ankle.
Worst statistic
This goes to the Sixers’ bench scoring. They were outscored, 49-20, by the Phoenix bench.
» READ MORE: In a loss to the Suns, a Sixers trade deadline need comes into focus | David Murphy
Best statistic
This goes to the Phoenix Suns shooting 60.8 % for the game.
Worst of the Worst
This goes to the overall play of the Sixers’ backup unit. The bench was a major liability in this game. Even their being outscored by 29 in bench points is misleading. With the game out of reach, Doc Rivers had all of his starters out for the final 1 minute, 50 seconds. During that time, the Sixers reserves scored seven points.