Once upon a time…
If you know me, you know I love a good stat. It’s what makes the regular season so much fun. I’m a data guy. I wouldn’t go so far as to say analytics is my religion, but let’s just say I have a real appreciation for the numbers. Data tells a story: sometimes it reinforces the narrative, other times it flips it upside down. Throughout the season, as data shifts and evolves, it’s always a thrill to dig in and see what it reveals.
Just yesterday, I was in a conversation about Devin Booker’s rough shooting night against the 76ers. He went a brutal 3-for-18 from the field, a mere 16.7%. It’s a rare sight for Book, so naturally, I couldn’t resist diving into the numbers to see just how rare it is. After some data mining, I found that Booker has shot under 17% from the field only 12 times in his career. Interestingly, five of those came back in 2015 when he was playing fewer than 10 minutes a game…as a rookie.
The surprising part about Booker’s performance wasn’t just how rarely he shoots so poorly — though that’s unexpected too — but how rare it is for the Suns to actually win a game when he struggles like this.
Booker has been the franchise cornerstone for nearly a decade; the team’s success usually hinges on his play. But with recent additions like Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal, and James Jones’ commitment to adding depth, Booker could afford an off night. Despite shooting just 16.7% from the field, the Suns still pulled off the win.
How rare is that? This marks only the second time in Booker’s career that the Suns won when he shot under 17%. The first instance was the second game of his career — his 19th birthday, in fact — against the Portland Trail Blazers, when he played all of two minutes and went 0-of-1 from the field.
Devin Booker, for only the 12th time and is 10 year career, shot under 17% from the field in last nights victory against the Philadelphia 76ers.
It is the only time that the team won the game, outside of his 19th birthday, where he played 2 minutes & was 0-of-1 from the field. pic.twitter.com/fnfUjGxqsn
— John Voita (@DarthVoita) November 5, 2024
That’s right. The Suns were led that night by Eric Bledsoe’s 22 points, Brandon Knight’s impressive four assists, and Tyson Chandler’s 13 rebounds. Just take a moment to think about those names. Think about that team. Think about how far we’ve come.
The fact that Devin Booker can have an off night now and the Suns still pull out a win? That’s different. Is it an anomaly? Absolutely. But it’s a delightful one to discover as I dig through the numbers, mining those hidden gems tucked away in the stats.