Image Source: X
[Saba Sports News] Devin Booker immediately noticed a different atmosphere when the Phoenix Suns arrived in Dallas, Texas, for their matchup against the Mavericks on Sunday.
A Mason Plumlee dunk gave the Suns a 26-24 lead late in the first quarter, and from that point on, Phoenix never looked back, securing a 125-116 road victory. This marked the Suns’ first meeting with the Mavericks since Luka Doncic was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. Given Booker’s well-documented clashes with Doncic over the years, he was asked about facing Dallas without his longtime rival.
“I mean, you can feel it,” Booker said. “You can feel it when you land. The vibes are low right now, but hopefully, they can look back, get healthy, and rally behind their team next season.”
Booker and Doncic’s rivalry peaked during the 2022 Western Conference semifinals, and their on-court animosity continued for years. Even after Doncic’s departure, Booker couldn’t resist trolling the Mavericks following the trade.
Fans on X noted that Booker seemed to have mixed emotions about losing his fiercest on-court adversary—at least to another team. Still, he led the way for Phoenix in Sunday’s game, finishing with a team-high 24 points on 10-of-21 shooting, along with six assists and three rebounds.