Following the Phoenix Suns’ stunning comeback victory over the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday, much speculation arose about whether it would be the team’s turning point of the season.

If you responded yes, you couldn’t have asked for a better first game back than Friday’s 123-109 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans.

Devin Booker scored a season-high 52 points to mark the halfway point of the season.

He went 18 for 30 from the field, adding four rebounds, five assists, and one turnover.

Booker scored 25 points in the first quarter, becoming the second player this season to do so, behind former teammate Mikal Bridges. Explosions in the first quarter were expected of Booker prior to this season, but since taking on the job of point guard with a lot of firepower around him, his scoring intensity has naturally dipped to begin games. Friday, however, was the second time in the last four games that he reached double digits in the first 12 minutes, bringing his total to five this season. This follows a total of 49 the previous two years.

He continued to find his rhythm in the second half, scoring 20 points in total. According to Stathead, he became the first player since Damian Lillard’s 71-point explosion last season to string together several 20-point quarters in one game.

New Orleans (25-18) could be the Suns’ (23-18) most formidable opponent. There’s the first-round playoff series two postseasons ago, all of Jose Alvarado’s comments throughout that time, the Zion Williamson dunk at the end of regulation last season, and other minor incidents that mounted up over time. The evidence was in the pudding, as Booker was booed during the starting lineup introductions, and he’s always the type of guy to get up for these types of games.

Booker scored 58 points in his most recent game against the Pelicans, bringing his total against them to 110 in the last two meetings.

Do not assume that this is the only takeaway from the game.

This was Phoenix’s greatest performance of the season, especially considering it was against strong competition, on the road, and consistent throughout.

The defensive energy and pace that pushed the Sacramento Kings in Tuesday’s comeback triumph carried over. The Suns led by 13 after one quarter and 17 at halftime. The Big Three were completely locked in, accounting for 57 of Phoenix’s 69 points, topped by Booker’s 32.

A great defensive gameplan on Williamson, combined with a lot of sound and quick flashes from other defenders, helped restrain the Pelicans’ several strong scorers, and the Suns were able to capitalize on all of the misses. And when they weren’t only in transition, they demonstrated intent by getting into their activities and exploring all of their alternatives through possession. Great look after great look was created.

There was some slight slippage at the end of the second quarter before the Suns picked up right where they left off in the third quarter with a 15-6 start, and Booker contributed 10 of those 15 points to reach 42 with more than 20 minutes of game time remaining, matching his season high and increasing the lead to 28. Jusuf Nurkic deserves to be recognized for his playmaking during this period as well.

All of this cumulative pressure wore down New Orleans’ attention and left them unable to catch up, while the Suns maintained a high offensive pace to maximize their opportunities. Given Phoenix’s instability this season, it was a fantastic accomplishment to maintain a positive process on both sides of the floor with a significant advantage. There was no sign of a fourth-quarter comeback for New Orleans, which is another point of improvement the Suns can take away from Friday.

An absolute firestorm from the Big Three will overshadow Nurkic’s excellent two-way performance. His defense and passing were excellent all night. He recorded five points, 15 rebounds, and a season-high nine assists.

Kevin Durant’s 26 points, five rebounds, two assists, two steals, and two blocks, combined with Beal’s 13 points, seven rebounds, and five assists, rounded off the greatest performance by the Big Three this season. Durant’s defense has been gradually improving over the last week, while Beal’s job defending Williamson was a daunting task that he was prepared for.