Phoenix gets an efficient opening shift from Booker
Devin Booker scored 13 points in 15 minutes and 45 seconds as the Phoenix Suns opened their preseason with a 109–107 loss to the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena on October 5 US time, October 6 in the Philippines.
Booker made four of seven shots, including one three-pointer, and converted all four of his free throws. He added three rebounds and three assists, finishing as Phoenix’s leading scorer despite the limited workload.
The Suns outscored Detroit by 18 points during Booker’s time on court. That individual plus-minus describes what happened in his minutes, but it does not isolate his contribution from the teammates and opponents sharing those possessions.
Phoenix’s starting group also included Dillon Brooks, Miles Bridges, Oso Ighodaro and Jalen Green. Brooks and Green each scored 11 points, while Bridges added eight points, five rebounds and four assists. The Suns reached halftime with a 68–50 lead.
The game changed after the break. Detroit outscored Phoenix 34–16 in the third quarter and won the fourth 25–23, completing the comeback on Ebuka Okorie’s late basket.
Phoenix finished with respectable shooting percentages, making 48.7 percent of its field goals and 40 percent of its three-pointers. Possession losses and missed free throws undermined that efficiency: the Suns converted only 17 of 33 attempts at the line, while Detroit recorded 21 steals.
Booker’s appearance offered an efficient individual start. The full result gave Phoenix a separate set of problems to address across its wider preseason rotation.