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Booker 'took it personally' hearing Suns fans cheering for Westbrook

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports / Action Images

The shoe was on the other foot Friday night for guard Devin Booker, as he had to listen to thousands of Phoenix Suns fans openly cheer for a member of the opposition.

It was back on March 24 at the TD Garden in Boston when Celtics fans rooted on Booker as he dropped a staggering 70 points, the highest point total by a player since Kobe Bryant went off for 81 on the Toronto Raptors in 2006.

At Talking Stick Resort Arena, though, it was Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder making history against Booker's Suns, with his final line of 23 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists in 36 minutes of action ensuring that he'll finish the regular season averaging a triple-double, making him the second player ever to accomplish that feat.

Suns fans encouraged Westbrook as he looked to notch a record-setting 42nd triple-double, and for that, Booker couldn't help but feel a tad bothered.

"I'm at my home arena, and you're hearing chants to another guy," Booker said following his team's 120-99 victory over Oklahoma City. "I totally respect Russell. He brings it each and every night. You can't discredit what he's been doing. I'm sure he's going to pass Oscar (Robertson) for the most triple-doubles, but I just didn't want it to be here. I took that personal.

"I'm a competitor. I'm sure if someone's chasing a record at home in OKC, he'd feel the same way. So I kind of took it personally."

Booker led all scorers with 37 points on 13-of-29 shooting Friday, as Phoenix snapped its 13-game losing streak.

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