The anticipation rolling into Thursday night against the Clippers was real. Jalen Green was finally about to suit up, nine games into the season, and everyone wanted to see what it looked like. How would he fit in? How would the offense bend around him? What would it look like for Devin Booker to finally have another scorer who could take pressure off his shoulders?
The Clippers came in short-handed without Harden or Kawhi, which only added to the intrigue. It felt like we were stepping into something
new, something worth watching unfold.
We’re still trying to figure out what this team actually is. They haven’t been whole yet, so every new piece gives us a clearer picture. The addition of Green pulled the curtain back a little more, and what we saw Thursday night was a team that feels alive. Fast. Aggressive. Raw in the right ways.
They played with a rhythm that made the crowd at the Mortgage Matchup Center buzz from tip-off. You could feel it. The noise swelled and rolled through the building, feeding the players, feeding the moment.
Green’s athleticism jumped off the screen, and the team fed off it like oxygen. His energy was contagious, his smile beaming like he’d been waiting his whole life for this stage. Ryan Dunn threw down dunks that rattled the floor, Grayson Allen hit corner threes that cracked the air open, and the offense started to hum. Booker didn’t need to put the team on his back and carry them.
All I have to say? Once again? That was a fun game to watch. To absorb. To experience. 4-5? I’ll take it. Because we still have yet to see this team whole. Yet we’re starting to feel complete.
Bright Side Baller Season Standings
It wasn’t the greatest game for the Phoenix Suns against the Warriors on Tuesday night, but it was a season high for Devin Booker. And with 38 points, Booker solidified his third BSB of the year, tying him with Mark Williams for the team-high.
Bright Side Baller Nominees
Game 9 against the Clippers. Here are your nominees.
Jalen Green
29 points (10-of-20, 6-of-13 3PT, 3-of-5 FT), 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 2 turnovers, +30 +/-
Devin Booker
24 points (10-of-22, 3-of-7 3PT, 1-of-1 FT), 6 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals, 3 turnovers, +11 +/-
Grayson Allen
18 points (7-of-13, 4-of-9 3PT), 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, 2 turnovers, +22 +/-
Royce O’Neale
17 points (6-of-11, 5-of-10 3PT), 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 turnover, +8 +/-
Mark Williams
13 points (4-of-8 FG, 5-of-6 FT), 10 rebounds, 2 steals, +18 +/-
Ryan Dunn
10 points (3-of-7, 1-of-3 3PT, 3-of-3 FT), 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, +12 +/-
Time to cast your vote and tell us why!
