Suns’ Devin Booker doubtful, Eric Gordon questionable for Sunday matchup vs. Thunder
Nov 11, 2023, 5:44 PM | Updated: 5:57 pm
Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns reacts after scoring against the San Antonio Spurs at Footprint Center on November 02, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
The Phoenix Suns listed star Devin Booker (right calf strain) doubtful for Sunday’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Footprint Center.
Bradley Beal was ruled probable (lower back) and guard Eric Gordon was listed questionable (left shoulder soreness) on the NBA’s latest injury report.
Booker warmed up on the floor ahead of Friday’s 122-119 loss against the Los Angeles Lakers but sat out his fourth straight game.
Booker’s most recent live action came on Nov. 2 when he played 35 minutes in a loss against the San Antonio Spurs. He has only participated in two of Phoenix’s first nine contests, and the Suns are 3-4 without him.
Devin Booker is out against the Lakers but got in a pregame warmup.
Soon? pic.twitter.com/fa2qb5QNg8
— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) November 11, 2023
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The Suns have struggled in the clutch this year with Booker and Beal missing most games. Beal made his Suns debut on Wednesday and scored 24 points in Friday’s defeat.
Phoenix (4-5) ranks No. 25 in offensive rating during clutch time (five-point game, five or fewer minutes left) at 83.6 and No. 24 in shooting at 35.7%, per NBA.com. It has yet to play a game with Booker, Beal and Kevin Durant (30.2 points per game) together on the court.
“He makes this thing go, without him, I mean, we can’t go where we want to go,” Durant said of Booker on Friday. “He just puts so much pressure on defenses and he guards 1-4. So we miss him, I can’t wait to have him back. I know he’s chomping at the bit.”
Booker’s next opportunity to return would be Wednesday at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Suns will then hit the road for two games in Utah against the Jazz.
Gordon has played in all nine games this season, starting five of them. He has averaged 13.6 points per game while shooting 34% from beyond the arc. The veteran and offseason addition came off the bench in Phoenix’s last two games with Beal in the lineup.
The Thunder (5-4) on Sunday won’t have forward Kenrich Williams (back). The sixth-year NBA veteran has not played this season. The rest of the team is available, including Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has scored at least 30 points in six of eight games played this year.
