Booker’s 35-Foot Buzzer-Beater Lifts Suns Past Thunder in Phoenix Thriller

Devin Booker had just walked back to the Phoenix Suns bench when the Oklahoma City Thunder tied the game with eight seconds remaining, and the moment felt oddly familiar. The noise inside Footprint Center was swelling, the tension unmistakable.

Booker didn’t hesitate. As he later explained, the thought that crossed his mind was simple: it was Phoenix’s turn.

Seconds later, Booker launched a 35-foot three-pointer over tight pressure from Alex Caruso and a late-arriving second defender, drilling the improbable shot to reclaim the lead and send the home crowd into a frenzy.

The make was the lone three of Booker’s night, but it was enough to punctuate one of his most complete performances of the season—a 24-point, nine-assist, six-rebound effort that delivered the Suns a dramatic 108–105 comeback victory Sunday.

1. The Moment of Truth

The play unfolded quickly, but the difficulty was unmistakable. With the defense draped all over him, Booker took the ball well beyond the arc, barely needing an opening before rising into his shooting motion. Caruso closed hard, even drawing a second defender into the play, yet Booker’s release was smooth and unbothered. The ball arced high, drifting toward the rim before dropping cleanly through the net. Inside the arena, the reaction was instantaneous. Fans erupted, teammates mobbed Booker, and the Suns’ bench spilled onto the floor in celebration. Booker, as he has done so many times before, remained composed, offering only a brief nod before being engulfed by the moment that had just tilted the game in Phoenix’s favor.

2. A Rare Home Dagger

For all of Booker’s history as a clutch scorer, Sunday’s shot carried added meaning. It was his first game-winning basket at home this season, a surprising detail given how often he has closed out tight games in his career. Earlier in the year, that honor belonged to Collin Gillespie, whose late heroics beat Minnesota back in November. This time, the stage was unmistakably Booker’s. The new calendar year appeared to bring a renewed edge. After enduring stretches of uneven team results, Booker’s confidence never wavered when the game tightened in the final moments. The Suns didn’t just need a bucket—they needed a statement—and Booker delivered it from 35 feet away.

3. Beating the Best

The Thunder entered the night as the NBA’s top team, and for much of the game they looked the part. Oklahoma City built an 18-point lead, controlling the pace and keeping Phoenix on its heels. But the Suns refused to fold, slowly chipping away at the deficit with improved ball movement and more committed defense. Booker’s playmaking became just as vital as his scoring, repeatedly setting up teammates to sustain the comeback. The victory carried extra weight considering the recent history between the teams. In their previous meeting, Oklahoma City had dismantled Phoenix by 49 points, a lopsided defeat made worse by Booker’s absence. Sunday’s result, with Booker back in the lineup, felt like overdue retribution—and proof that Phoenix can still rise to the level of elite competition.