By Jim Marshall
The Phoenix Suns will have two All-Stars playing for this year’s NBA Western team. Kevin Durant will be a starter, and Devin Booker a reserve. The 73rd NBA All-Star Game takes place on Sunday, February 18 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Fans will be able to catch the action on TNT.
Durant’s Fourteenth Selection
This will be Durant’s 14th All-Star selection during his illustrious career and his first as a member of the Suns. Also, this will be the 12th time in his career that he has been named a starter and is also the first Suns player to be named an All-Star starter since Amar’e Stoudemire and Steve Nash in 2010.
Durant wrote, in a response he posted on X, formerly know as Twitter, “Thanks to the fans, media and most importantly my peers for voting me into my 14th all-star game. Can’t wait to lock in and hoop with some of the greatest ever in Indy…”
Devin Booker
As for Devin Booker, the NBA announced that he was selected by the NBA head coaches as a reserve. This is Booker’s fourth All-Star Game appearance after missing in 2023. Booker has been named an injury replacement for his first two appearances. So, technically, this is just his second appearance on the initial roster. Booker is just the eighth player in Suns history to earn at least four All-Star selections with the team. He joins Walter Davis (6), Steve Nash (6), Amar’e Stoudemire (5), Charles Barkley (4), Connie Hawkins (4) Shawn Marion (4) and Paul Westphal (4)—and Kevin Durant (1, with the Suns).
Both Players Deserving
The Phoenix Suns will have two All-Stars, both deserving of the honor. As of this posting—through 39 games this season—Booker is averaging career highs of 28.3 points and 7.3 assists. He leads the league with five quarters scoring 20-plus points this season. Also, he is one of just four NBA players to record multiple 50-point games this season. He scored 62 points to set the arena scoring record at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, home of the 2024 NBA All-Star Game.
Through 39 games this season, Durant is averaging 29.1 points—currently placing him fifth in the league. He is also averaging 6.4 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 1.2 blocks while shooting 5.5% from the field.
Classic Format Returns
The Phoenix Suns will have two All-Stars at the game in February. As the league celebrates basketball’s deep roots in the state of Indiana, the All-Star Game features the return of both the classic matchup between the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference. We will also see the return of the traditional scoring system with four 12-minute quarters, last used in 2017.
While the game will no longer have an untimed fourth quarter or conclude when one team reaches or surpasses the Final Target Score. The teams will continue to compete to win each quarter for a charitable organization of their choosing. Let us see if Devin Booker or Kevin Durant can bring home the MVP for all of the Suns fans to see.
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