I thought Devin Booker led them last night and in Game 1. Unlike Durant and CP3 who are both too old, Booker played with quickness and hustle on both ends of the court.
He was the only one who could consistently beat his man, get inside the set defense and really create. So much of what Durant and CP3 do is with the whole defense in front of them. They settle for longer harder shots. They do not create as good as opportunities for their teammates because they have not broken down the defense. They haven't forced the defense to scramble, to get out of position, to the same degree as the dribble penetration that Booker provides.
On the defensive side of the court, again, Booker is the only one of the three who is playing with quickness and hustle. He is the only one of the three playing high caliber defense. It is fantastic to see how much he has improved on the defensive side of the ball. He was once a terrible defender, then just about passable to now being a well above average defensive player. Neither Durant or CP3 have the quickness to harrass opponents, to jump passing lanes, they make slower defensive rotations and are more vulnerable to being beat by quickness.
I don't know if Booker is a top 10 NBA player but if he isn't he is just outside the top 10 in that 11-13 range. He is a fantastic player & PHO's true leader. He sets the tempo, the energy for the team.
