In a tight Suns vs. Raptors game, Devin Booker found himself distracted at the free-throw line with six seconds left and Phoenix up by one. With no fans in the building due to COVID protocols, the Raptors mascot tried to do his part, jumping around behind the basket to mess with Booker’s shot. Booker wasn’t having it. He called out the distraction to the ref, pointing at the mascot, who was waving and hopping in his line of sight. The ref took his side and made the mascot move.
The mascot shuffled off, visibly bummed, squatting in the corner of the empty arena like a guy who just got benched. Booker hit both free throws, smiled a bit, and relaxed after the second one went in. Moments later, Chris Paul went to the line and Booker made sure the mascot stayed put, half-joking, still watching him out of the corner of his eye. Paul knocked down both shots to seal the win.
After the game, Booker downplayed the moment. He explained it was all in fun, and said he reacts the same way when teammates try to distract him during shooting games in practice. The mascot might not have helped much, but he did end up in the middle of one of the game’s strangest moments.