1:46pm: The results of the MRI on Booker’s hamstring are still being evaluated, but for now it appears unlikely that he’ll be able to play in Games 3 and 4 in New Orleans, reports Adrian Wojnarowksi of ESPN (Twitter link).
Wojnarowski adds (via Twitter) that Booker’s right hamstring strain is believed to be relatively mild and he’s not being ruled out for the series.
The Suns have put out their own update, confirming that Booker has been diagnosed with a mild right hamstring strain and announcing there’s no timetable for his return.
7:07am: After scoring 31 points in the first half of the Suns‘ Game 2 loss to New Orleans on Tuesday, All-Star guard Devin Booker left the game in the third quarter due to a hamstring injury and didn’t return.
Booker, who was ruled out for the rest of the night with what the team referred to as right hamstring tightness, is expected to undergo testing and treatment on the injury today, writes ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. Head coach Monty Williams said after the game that the team expects to have “more information” on Wednesday.
As Windhorst notes, Booker missed seven games earlier this season due to a hamstring strain that affected his left leg. He also played through a hamstring injury during last year’s NBA Finals and has dealt with a few other hamstring issues over the years, though none have been too significant — this year’s seven-game absence was his longest stretch on the sidelines.
The top-seeded Suns, who went 8-6 this season without Booker, will still be favored over the Pelicans even without their leading scorer, but they don’t have a huge margin for error as they head to New Orleans with the series tied at one game apiece.
Williams told reporters after Tuesday’s game that the club would be ready to play without Booker in Game 3 on Friday if necessary.
“We’ve played without Chris (Paul) and Book before,” he said. “If we have to play without Book, next man up. We’ve done that all year long.”
Smart is the first guard to earn the honor since Gary Payton in the 1995/96 season. He’s also the second Celtic to win the award, joining Kevin Garnett (2007/08).
This award, introduced in 2017 and named after longtime NBCA executive director Michael H. Goldberg, is voted on by the NBA’s 30 head coaches, none of whom can vote for himself. However, it isn’t the NBA’s official Coach of the Year award, which is voted on by media members and is represented by the Red Auerbach Trophy. The winner of that award will be announced later in the year.