Devin Booker to miss 2nd straight game for Suns due to hamstring injury

Phoenix Suns shooting guard Devin Booker has been ruled out for Wednesday’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder due to a strain in his left hamstring.

In overtime of the Suns’ loss on Friday to the Denver Nuggets, Booker leapt high to deflect the ball for a key offensive rebound. On his landing, Booker aggravated the hamstring.

The effort on both rebounds from Devin Booker here is awesome. Absolute gamer. pic.twitter.com/L4o01cAgNe

— Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) January 23, 2021

Booker limped to half-court, had a brief chat with the Suns bench and head coach Monty Williams quickly pulled him from the game. Booker did not return in that game or play in Saturday’s double-overtime defeat against the Nuggets.

Williams’ last update on Booker’s status came during pregame Saturday.

“What I’ve been told is it could be day-to-day. Depending on how he feels, it could be another week,” Williams said Saturday. “It just depends. He’s a bit sore today.”

Williams was not at practice on Monday or Tuesday so there has not been an update given since. Williams was attending to a personal matter and is expected to be back with the team on Wednesday.

With Booker earning the “out” designation, that certainly puts his status for Thursday’s game against the Golden State Warriors in doubt as well.

Big men Dario Saric and Damian Jones remain out due to health and safety protocols, a listing they have held on the injury report since Jan. 17.

Without Booker in the starting lineup on Saturday, Williams started Jae Crowder in his place alongside Chris Paul, Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson and Deandre Ayton.

Booker, 24, has had a slow start to the season by his standards. He’s averaging 22.9 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game, shooting 47.3% from the field, 34.1% at three-point range and 82.4% on free throws. Booker’s high turnover numbers to begin the year have regressed, with his average of 4.1 a night more around his typical number the past couple of seasons.

While the sixth-year guard has had a handful of minor injuries to open his career, Booker avoided that last season, playing in 70 of the Suns’ 73 games.

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