The 2021 NBA Finals is set to begin Tuesday as the Phoenix Suns will take on the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Suns finally ended a decade-long playoff drought after finishing the regular season as the second seed in the Western Conference.
Chris Paul’s veteran expertise proved to be clutch, but the Suns had plenty of young stars waiting to blossom on the big stage like Devin Booker, Deandre Ayton and Mikal Bridges.
Booker had a great regular-season showing en route to being named an All-Star, despite not playing because of a knee sprain.
Still, Booker has thrived in the playoffs when it matters most.
In his first-ever playoff series, the 24-year-old guard averaged 29.7 points, 6.2 rebounds and 5.0 assists to propel Phoenix past the Los Angeles Lakers in six games.
The Suns proceeded to eliminate the Denver Nuggets and L.A. Clippers in ensuing rounds, but Booker explained how playing against the Lakers helped Phoenix’s squad flourish, via NBA TV:
“Going through that experience [against the Lakers] shaped us for the next series.” @DevinBook discusses the growth Phoenix has shown throughout the playoffs. pic.twitter.com/Vi1DcbACom
— NBA TV (@NBATV) July 5, 2021
“We experienced the Lakers series. I’m glad we went through that, I’m glad we had those two losses because you learn so much in that time…Having going through that experience, you know, shaped us for the next series.”
After bouncing the defending champions, the Suns swept the Nuggets and beat the Clippers in six games.
Now, Phoenix must beat the Bucks four times in order to claim its first title in franchise history.
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