Devin Booker kicks mascot to the corner, a breakdown

The Phoenix Suns are playing the Toronto Raptors in a close, one-point game with just six seconds remaining in regulation. Phoenix star Devin Booker steps up to the free throw line, with his teammates practicing their free throw shooting in solidarity behind him. Booker receives the ball from the referee and prepares to shoot his first of two free throws, but he is distracted by the presence of the Raptors' mascot, who is moving around energetically near the baseline. "Hey, hey!" Booker yells at the referee. "He can't be there. He's jumping around too much in my line of view." The referee acknowledges Booker's concern and tells the mascot, "Okay, get out of here. You gotta move. He doesn't want you there." The dejected mascot slowly shuffles to the corner, kneeling down in a very human-like manner as he laments, "What do I do? I'm just trying to help the team out." Booker proceeds to make his two free throws, giving the Suns a one-point lead. As the Raptors attempt to inbound the ball, Booker again directs the mascot, saying, "Hey, where's the mascot at? Make sure you stay on that side of the court. Get over there." The mascot obediently moves to the other side of the court, though Booker quips, "Take away all my fun. I'm over here now." Chris Paul steps up to the line for the Raptors and hits both of his free throws, tying the game. In the postgame interview, Booker laughs off the incident, explaining, "We play a shooting game all the time, every day. These two do the same thing, and I complain then, so that's just me." The game comes down to the wire, but the Suns hold on for the narrow victory. Booker's interaction with the Raptors' mascot provides a lighthearted moment in an otherwise tense finish to the hard-fought matchup between these two talented NBA teams.