Kevin Durant, Devin Booker celebrate Suns rookie’s 44-minute performance vs. Cavs
Oso Ighodaro had a career night that caught many’s attention.
Time is of the essence, and Oso Ighodaro’s 44 minutes secured the Phoenix Suns’ 123-112 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday.
Defeating the top-ranked team in the Eastern Conference is something Kevin Durant and Devin Booker knew would be tough. However, roughly 60-90 minutes before the game, the center position looked different than it did once the game commenced.
Initially, Nick Richards was supposed to be starting, but he tweaked his right calf during his pregame warmup. Then, Richards was ruled out and Ighodaro stepped in.
After playing a total of 21 minutes in February, he played a career-high 44 minutes during the win. Numerous times, he played in the pick-and-roll as a defender, switching, communicating, and altering shots. Ighodaro’s energy was infectious and something the two superstars fed off of all night.
Booker knew that immediately, even as soon as the Suns drafted him in the second round. Fast forward to game 71 and that sentiment remains. However, Booker loved what the former Marquette basketball center was doing with his chances to play.
“He’s taking advantage of his opportunity, something that he’s been waiting on,” Booker said. “Something he’s been communicating and talking about even when he hasn’t been in the rotation.
