PHOENIX SUNS
Devin Booker expected to miss ‘a few games’ with hamstring injury
Dec 1, 2021, 1:44 PM | Updated: Dec 2, 2021, 11:46 am
Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker is expected to miss at least a few games with a left hamstring injury suffered Tuesday in a win against the Golden State Warriors, General Manager James Jones said Wednesday.
The 18-3 team considers the issue a minor one, but considering the streaking start to the year, it will be cautious about rushing back the young star.
“It looks like he’ll be down for a little bit,” Jones told 98.7 FM’s Burns & Gambo Show. “I don’t expect for long, but a few games is accurate.”
Booker has a history of hamstring issues. He twice injured his left hamstring during the 2018-19 season and also dealt with a right hamstring issue that year.
The left hamstring cropped up again last season, causing Booker to miss four games. Suns head coach Monty Williams admitted this offseason that benching Booker in Game 3 of the NBA Finals in a loss to the Milwaukee Bucks was because the shooting guard was dealing with a hamstring injury, though it wasn’t discussed which one.
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Booker exited Tuesday night’s 104-96 win over the Golden State Warriors due to a left hamstring injury.
The All-Star guard returned to the bench in warmup gear but did not participate in the remainder of the contest.
Suns head coach Monty Williams did not have an update on Booker’s injury status postgame.
The Phoenix guard appeared to pick up the injury on a layup attempt midway through the second quarter. Booker stayed on the court for a few more possessions but was seen limping, grimacing and grabbing at his left hamstring.
He was the Suns’ leading scorer with 10 points on 4-for-9 shooting (44.4%) before departing the game in the first half.
Forward Cam Johnson replaced Booker in the second-half starting lineup, and the rotation moving forward is likely to include more Landry Shamet and maybe point guard Elfrid Payton.
Booker is averaging 23.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.5 assists a game while shooting 45.8% and a career-high 40.3% from three-point range through 21 appearances.
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