Los Angeles Clippers v Phoenix Suns - Game Five
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JUNE 28: A dejected Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns leaves the court following the team's loss to the LA Clippers during the second half in Game Five of the Western Conference Finals at Phoenix Suns Arena on June 28, 2021 in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images

A day before the 2021 NBA Finals, Phoenix Suns' Devin Booker revealed during the NBA Finals media availability that they thanked LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers for their NBA Finals run this season.

A Boost from LeBron James-Led Squad

During the interview, Booker stated that playing and losing two games to the Lakers was a blessing in disguise for the Phoenix Suns.

The chance of playing against the historic franchise in the first round of the playoffs gave them some experience and pointers to the roster in the postseason, especially while facing the Lakers without Chris Paul. The beatings and intensity that they got from the Purple and Gold squad inside the Staples Center that tested them early evidently resulted in their toughness moving forward.

According to Clutch Points, the Phoenix Suns rising star Devin Booker stated that going through the experience that they have had against the LA Lakers shaped them for the next series against Denver Nuggets. Booker also added that facing the other LA team, the Clippers, and dropping two games to them also helped them to understand that what they were playing was a long series.

The Phoenix Suns indeed got their team tested in the opening round when they faced the LA Lakers as their match-up. LeBron James and the LA Lakers were the reigning NBA champions. The win against the Lakers boosted the confidence of Devin Booker and the Phoenix Suns on their way to the NBA Finals.

When the Phoenix Suns fell to the Lakers 2-1 in their series, many fans believed that LA had complete control in the series against the squad from Arizona. However, the Phoenix squad did not back down and responded with three straight victories to close out the playoff-opening series to set a date with the Denver Nuggets in the second round.

The Rising Star of Phoenix

In his first-ever playoff series, the 24-year-old guard dropped 29.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 5.0 assists against the Los Angeles Lakers. Ousting the defending champs gave the Suns' confidence a boost. The team kept the momentum going with a clean sweep of the Denver Nuggets, Lebronwire via USA Today reported.

Despite struggling for a moment against the Los Angeles Clippers, it was clear right from the start of the series that the Suns were the better team in the Western Conference Finals due to the absence of Kawhi Leonard in the series. The Suns jumped to a quick 2-0 lead against the Clips, and they did not let the advantage go to waste by finishing Paul George and the Kawhi-less squad in six games, also in LA.

After finishing the regular season as the second-seeded team in the West, the Phoenix Suns squad, revived by Chris Paul, finally ended a decade-long playoff drought. Paul's veteran expertise proved to be clutch, but the Suns also had plenty of young stars that came out on the big stage like Devin Booker, Deandre Ayton, and Mikal Bridges. Booker had a great regular season that placed him as an All-Star.

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