Suns' Booker explodes for 70 points in loss to Celtics

Devin Booker has put forth the most prolific scoring performance in over a decade.

The Phoenix Suns guard registered 70 points in Friday's 130-120 loss to the Boston Celtics.

It's the highest point total recorded by a player since 2006, when Los Angeles Lakers icon Kobe Bryant hung 81 on the Toronto Raptors.

It's only the 11th 70-plus point performance in NBA history, with Booker joining the likes of Wilt Chamberlain, Kobe Bryant, David Thompson, Elgin Baylor, and David Robinson as the only six players to achieve the feat.

At 20 years old, Booker's the youngest to reach the 70-point plateau - a new Suns record. It's also the most points the storied Celtics have ever yielded to a player.

The sophomore two-guard notched his 70 points shooting 21-of-40 from the field and 4-of-11 from long range. Not only did he outscore the rest of his squad by 20 points, Booker also added eight rebounds, six dimes, three steals, and a block in 44 minutes.

Related: Ranking the NBA's most efficient 70-plus point performances

Entering the contest, he was averaging 20.9 points, 2.9 assists, and 2.8 boards in 34.7 minutes per game in his second campaign in the Valley of the Sun. He leads the team in minutes, and is second in scoring. His previous career high was 39, which he reached thrice earlier this season.