Devin Booker says Phoenix Suns are 'locked in' ahead of Game 7

PHOENIX — On the plane ride back home after losing in blowout fashion to the Dallas Mavericks in Game 6 of the Western Conference semifinals, Suns star Devin Booker joined a card game with teammates Chris Paul and Jae Crowder and discussed their Game 7 challenge ahead.

Paul's played in seven Game 7s before, going 3-4 overall, but losing his last three. Crowder's played in two, splitting them with a first round loss in 2014 when he played for the Mavericks and a second round win in 2017 when he played for the Boston Celtics.

For the 25-year-old Booker, Sunday will be his first. It's an opportunity he relishes.

«I like coming in here with everybody locked in, top to bottom from the front office looking through the windows — you can feel their demeanor,» Booker said after Saturday's practice at the Verizon 5G Performance Center. «That's why we play the sport. We thought we had something going there [in terms of pressure] during the regular season, trying to break the franchise record and this is a whole different beast.»

So far the series has looked drastically different depending on the location. In the Suns' three home games at Footprint Center, they've gone 3-0, winning by an average of 19 points. However, in the Suns' three road games at American Airlines Center, they've gone 0-3, losing by an average of 15.3 points.

Setting the franchise record in wins by going 64-18 in the regular season earned Phoenix the No. 1 overall seed in the postseason and the right to play any deciding Game 7 in their house.

«If you just look at the history of the league, home court advantage, it's a real saying,» Booker said. «It's always tough to win on the road. I think just the comfortability of playing [41] games here rather than two on