Devin Booker exits game, ruled out due to left ankle sprain
Apr 3, 2019, 7:52 PM | Updated: 9:31 pm
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Phoenix Suns shooting guard Devin Booker exited Wednesday’s game against the Utah Jazz due to a left ankle sprain. He was ruled out the rest of the game.
X-rays came back negative, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania. Suns head coach Igor Kokoskov said after the game Booker will have an MRI on Thursday.
Booker was receiving an entry pass in the middle of the first quarter, and when jumping in the air to catch it, his left foot landed directly on the defender’s foot. He twisted his ankle on the landing.
The two-guard stayed on the floor in pain for a few moments before being helped to the locker room.
While there are only three games left in the season after Wednesday, the timing hurts for the Suns.
Booker would join a long list of players who are out and injured. Deandre Ayton missed his second straight game against Utah because of a left ankle sprain. Tyler Johnson has been out the last 10 games because of right knee soreness and T.J. Warren has missed 30 games in a row due to right ankle soreness. Kelly Oubre Jr. had thumb surgery on March 22.
Carrying the injury-riddled squad, Booker averaged 34.0 points, 5.1 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game in March and had 52 points a night in the last week of the month.
Injuries have plagued Booker this season and last year, making this one hurt more given how he had been staying healthy. Booker has played in 22 straight games, the longest streak he’s had since his second NBA season.
That’s something that was important to his recent strong form.
“That’s what I’ve been asking for all season is just be 100 percent healthy,” he said after dropping 50 on March 27.
“When you’re going through games and you don’t [have to avoid making] this certain move or this certain movement because you’re scared of what’s going to happen it’s a whole different game. I have a free mind out there.”
If he were to miss the rest of the season, Booker will have been out 46 total games the past two years. For the 2018-19 campaign, Booker came back for the season opener from hand surgery, sprained his left pinky finger, strained his left hamstring, re-aggravated that, had issues with left big toe and back and then experienced tightness in his right hamstring.
