How Kevin Durant and Devin Booker are becoming NBA's dynamic scoring duo for Suns

LOS ANGELES — Devin Booker certainly fulfilled Josh Okogie’s request Thursday night.

“He must have heard me last game when I said he's got to do it every game,” Okogie said.

Coming off a 38-point effort in Game 2 victory Tuesday in Phoenix, Booker couldn’t be stopped again in scoring a game-high 45 points, two shy of matching his career playoff high — and kept thanking Kevin Durant for his special night.

“You can’t leave him, he draws a lot of attention and a lot of buckets I scored, I went right to him and said, ‘You opened that up for me.’”

Durant just smiled when that story was relayed to him because one, he understands the gravity he provides on the court to open it up for teammates.

As Suns coach Monty Williams said, Durant is an “expensive decoy,” at times, but two, game recognize game.

NBA: SCOREBOARD | STANDINGS | STATISTICS

“I remember we ran plays to set a screen for me and I ended up catching it at the top of the key, but I saw the whole defense kind of looking at me and Book was bringing it up,” Durant said. “He got the one-on-one with their whole defense having their back turned and he was able to get to his move. He had some help at the rim, but that’s nothing for him. He ran back and told me that I created that when I probably didn’t create that. He’s so good, he can get wherever he wants, but they couldn’t help as much or be as aggressive when I was coming off that screen.”

Still, game recognizes game.

Durant knows Booker is a supreme scorer and doesn’t want to take all this credit for his co-superstar going for big numbers against the Clippers.

“Great performance,” Durant said. “In the playoffs like that, on the road, Game 3, 45, with that efficiency. It’s almost like I expect stuff like this from him at this point.”

The Suns will look to take a commanding 3-1 lead in Saturday’s Game 4 at Crypto.com Arena with Booker simply on fire right now and the Clippers uncertain whether they’ll get Kawhi Leonard back after he missed Game 3 with a right knee sprain. Game 5 is Tuesday back in Phoenix.

Here are five takeaways from Thursday's game as the fourth-seeded Suns have regained homecourt advantage:

Durant the playmaker

The 28 points is expected. The 15 shots are not enough for someone who can get any look he wants at any point in the game.

The perfect 11-of-11 on free throws with 4-of-4 coming in the game’s final 19.4 seconds helped put the game away.

The six turnovers are too many and the five assists go under the radar until it’s one that leads to perhaps the biggest 3 of the night.

With Phoenix leading 119-116, Durant found Torrey Craig open for a corner that Craig nailed to double Phoenix’s advantage with 1:24 left in in the fourth.

Booker followed that up with a 3-point play with 42 seconds remaining to essentially seal the game, but for Durant to trust Craig in that moment was big.

Yes, Craig shot 39.5% from 3 in the regular season, was 7-of-12 from 3 in the first two games of this series and was 2-of-3 before hitting that final deep one, but Durant could’ve shot it.

He didn’t, gave it up and Craig rewarded him with the biggest 3 of the night.

Powell and Westbrook carry load

No surprise Norman Powell and Russell Westbrook went off Thursday night.

No Paul George or Leonard? Who else was going to score like that on this team?

Nah'Shon "Bones" Hyland gave the Clippers 20 off the bench, but the Suns knew what was coming and didn’t really have an answer for Powell and Westbrook going downhill and from 3.

Powell cranked out a playoff career-high 42, going 7-of-12 from 3, while Westbrook posted a double-double of 30 points and 11 assists, but defense has been the downfall of the Clippers this season.

That’s continued in the playoffs.

46 free throws, 40-plus minutes

Chris Paul’s response to the 36-of-46 free throws was appropriate.

“That’s crazy,” Paul said. “Nice to have KD, though.”

Durant’s ability to get the free throw line helps the Suns not only score, but they can set their defense and get some rest.

Booker and Durant played 40-plus minutes for a third straight game in this series while Paul logged 41 after going for 38 Game 2 and 39 in Game 1.

The Suns may get through this series without having to really use their bench, but asking Durant, Booker and the 37-year-old Paul to consistently log heavy minutes for a championship run is crazy, but maybe that's the only way it happens.

Rotation shift

Landry Shamet went from playing 24 minutes in Game 1 to four in Game 3. Damion Lee went from not playing in Game 1 to scoring eight points in 11 minutes in Game 3.

Okogie saw the most minutes in Game 3 at 21 after combining for 22 in Game 1 and Game 2.

No Terrence Ross in Game 2 or Game 3 after a short stint in Game 1 that left Williams saying he should’ve given Ross more “burn” in Game 1.

No need trying to predict who Williams will play off his bench. Bismack Biyombo has been the consistent first big off the bench.

Everyone else has been someone else.

Ayton’s night

Deandre Ayton started 1-of-5 from the field, didn’t seem to be into the game or take full advantage of the Clippers going small until it mattered most.

Ayton came up with a huge offensive rebound with 51.2 seconds left that led to Booker’s 3-point play.

Again, he’s the most polarizing player on this team.

His detractors really take issue with every fumbled pass, empty finish at the rim and not getting every rebound. His supporters say the Suns don’t involve him enough and Ayton still is growing as a player.

Going for 12 points and 11 rebounds seems pedestrian, but his 11 was a game high. Booker, Durant and Paul all had words for him in the game, but they appreciate his screens and understand his value.

That’s why he’s this team’s X-factor in this postseason.

Have opinion about current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on Twitter at @DuaneRankin.

Support local journalism. Start your online subscription.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Durant, Booker NBA's ultimate scoring duo as Suns take 2-1 series lead