National Basketball Association

Devin Booker vs. Klay Thompson: Shooting Guard Comparsion

Updated Mar. 5, 2020 2:19 a.m. ET

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Mar 12, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) drives in against Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) during the third quarter at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Suns 123-116. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

It won’t take long for basketball fans to get their first look at the Phoenix Suns‘ Devin Booker and the Golden State Warriors’ Klay Thompson going head-to-head in the 2016-17 NBA season.

Booker and the Phoenix Suns are set to host Thompson and the Golden State Warriors on Sunday October 30 in the Suns’ third game of the season.

Note that Devin Booker was also announced as the starting shooting guard for the Phoenix Suns this season.

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Thompson and Booker matched up four times last season and, expectedly, the head-to-head stats greatly favored Thompson.

Booker averaged just 9.8 points on 35.9 percent shooting against Thompson and the Warriors won all four match-ups.

It should be noted Booker scored just six points in the first two games against the Warriors and played just 35 minutes.

The last two match-ups came with Booker in the starting lineup and he put up 33 points in almost 79 minutes of action.

The two shooting guards have nearly identical measurements (Thompson is 6-foot-7 and 205 lbs and Booker is 6-foot-6 and 206 lbs) and consistently get compared to each other.

Next: Breaking Down Thompson's Game

Thompson came into the league as the 11th pick in the 2011 draft by the Golden State Warriors and has solidified his status as one of the best two-way players in the league.

Feb 10, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) shoots the ball against the Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The Golden State Warriors won 112-104. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports

The 6-foot-7 shooter from Washington State averaged 22.1 points per game last season and finished second in the league in three-point field goals behind his teammate and fellow splash brother, Stephen Curry.

Fresh off back-to-back NBA finals appearances, Thompson and the Warriors added Kevin Durant in free agency and look better than ever.

Meanwhile, Booker is coming off a stellar rookie season for the Suns. Phoenix took the 6-foot-6 guard from Kentucky with the 13th pick in the 2015 draft.

He averaged 13.8 points per game, shot 42.3 percent from the field and took over as the team’s primary scorer down the stretch when both Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight were injured.

Looking at the skill sets of both players, the similarities are scary.

Both have in the gym shooting range, the ability to score off the dribble and the size to post up smaller guards.

Sep 26, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker holds a bobble head of himself as he poses for a portrait during media day at Talking Stick Resort Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The two big differences between Devin Booker and Thompson right now are experience and teammate talent level.

Thompson is 26-years-old, entering his sixth season in the NBA and plays on one of the most talented teams in the NBA. Golden State’s projected starting lineup of Curry, Thompson, Durant, Draymond Green and Zaza Pachulia is arguably the best starting five in the league.

Booker turns 20-years-old on October 30 and plays on one of the worst teams in the league. Phoenix certainly has plenty of talent and potential, but there’s no comparison to the talent level Thompson plays with to what Booker plays with.

Sep 26, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker poses for a portrait during media day at Talking Stick Resort Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Thus, Thompson and the Warriors will likely control the win-loss category of the four match-ups this season. However, don’t be surprised if Booker’s individual statistics see an uptick and Thompson sees his stats drop.

Booker will see considerable time now that he has been named the starting shooting guard.

An increase of three or four points on his per game scoring average would fit in line with Thompson’s rookie to sophomore season averages.

On the other side, Thompson is still a key cog in the Golden State offensive system, but the addition of Durant could cut into his scoring statistics.

Despite what Thompson has said about not sacrificing, something has to give and he’s the most likely option to lose shots.

Regardless of how the two teams fare in the win-loss column, one thing is for sure: the Devin Booker and Klay Thompson match-up will be one of the most fun head-to-head match-ups to watch this season.

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