After returning to Phoenix to undergo additional evaluation on his injured left leg, Suns guard Devin Booker has been diagnosed with a left groin strain and will be sidelined for the foreseeable future.
According to the team (Twitter link), Booker will be reevaluated in four weeks, meaning he’ll be on the shelf until at least late January.
Booker initially missed a pair of games on December 11 and 13 due to left hamstring tightness. He returned for two games, including a 58-point outburst against New Orleans on Dec. 17, then missed three more due to left groin soreness. He attempted to return on Christmas Day vs. Denver, but only played about four minutes before reaggravating the injury.
Booker’s absence is the latest setback for a Suns team that has had some bad injury luck so far this season. Starting point guard Chris Paul missed 14 games in November and December due to a heel problem, starting forward Cameron Johnson has been out since November 4 while rehabbing a knee injury, and key reserve Cameron Payne has been unavailable for Phoenix’s last seven games due to a foot issue.
Of course, the Suns have been without Jae Crowder all season as the front office looks to trade him. The club also has an open spot on its 15-man roster.
Playing without Booker will be the biggest challenge yet for the Suns, who are 2-4 this season without their leading scorer available (2-5 counting Sunday’s loss to the Nuggets), even after an impressive win over Memphis on Tuesday. Phoenix has a 20-15 overall record this season, but could have a hard time keeping pace in the West with eight of its next 10 games on the road.
In 28 games entering Christmas Day, Booker had averaged 28.0 points, 5.8 assists, and 4.8 rebounds in 35.6 minutes per night, with a shooting line of .477/.370/.850.
Luka beat the Knicks so hard his son felt the beating all the way to Phoenix
just shows the mavs have 1 star and a bunch of role players. Knicks coach did it again playing your starters too many minutes.
Really was some sort of beating! I mean dude had to put up historic numbers to beat a mediocre team in overtime! Sure showed the Sons!
well the good thing is the warriors/Suns match up is even with the best player on each team is out.
Warriors Next 9 games
Suns game is the toughest one. Warriors are 3 wins away from 5th seed Suns
Coming up Warriors games
Pistons
Magic
Spurs
Wizards
trailblazers will be a tough game with lliard back. One of their toughest games will be tonight’s game vs Jazz with 3 starters out but after that its a easy well rested schedule for 2 weeks.
Wonder if Phoenix will take as much heat for Booker’s groin strain, as charlotte did when Haywards return to action resulted in a return to the injury report?
This is a tough blow for the Suns but I think Ayton and CP3 can carry the Suns in Booker’s absence.
If Suns want to fill the scoring void, Bridges and Crowder for DeRozan and Derrick Jones Jr works.