Rocio Robles
The Game 2 series loss to the New Orleans Pelicans wasn’t the only bad news that night for the Phoenix Suns. Devin Booker had to leave the game with hamstring discomfort, and he underwent further testing today to determine how serious his injury might be and how much play time he might miss.
What was the answer? It is still not specific, but there is one guarantee that the team led by Monty Williams will have to take care of.
According to the latest reports, the 25-year-old shooting guard will “most likely” miss Game 3 and Game 4 of the NBA playoffs’ first-round series thanks to a Grade 1 sprain in his right hamstring. The results of the MRI performed on Booker are not yet fully ready. These will end up giving a more precise return date; however, he is not expected to miss the rest of the series should this one extend to Game 7.
This is a particularly sensitive loss for the Suns, as Booker was frequently their best player throughout the 2021-2022 season, becoming one of the year’s MVP candidates. Before leaving with discomfort during the third quarter while defending a Pelicans offense, Devin had 31 points and seven three-pointers, one of the reasons Phoenix still held the lead throughout the game.
After his departure, Brandon Ingram (37 points, 11 rebounds, nine assists) and CJ McCollum (23 points, eight rebounds, nine assists) carried New Orleans on his back to snatch what would have been their second win in the series from the best team in the Western Conference, ending the game 125-114. The series will now move to Louisiana, where the Smoothie King Center will host the next two games of the playoffs.
Devin Booker injury is nothing new
The Suns will be very cautious with Devin Booker’s injury and are unlikely to risk him even if they need him on the court: the hamstring has been the most affected area in the last two years for the three-time All-Star. Last season, he missed four games due to the same injury (but to his left leg), and played through it during the NBA Finals.
This season he also suffered the same physical limitation in the same left leg during the month of November, which forced him to miss seven games in total. It usually takes a week for the extent of his injury to heal, but it can become an even more aggravated injury if he returns to the court without having made a full recovery.
Devin Booker’s injury is the biggest blow to Monty Williams ‘ team in such a competitive environment, but Phoenix has enough of a roster (8-6 record without Devin on the court) to advance to the second round. Players like DeAndre Ayton and Mikal Bridges are going to have to excel in the absence of their star point guard.
The next meeting between the Pelicans and Suns will take place on Friday, April 22 at 22:30 PM ET.
