Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker had to leave Game 2 against the Pelicans with a hamstring injury and he’s likely to miss more game time.
The Suns were riding high after a Game 1 blowout over the Pelicans but things have definitely taken a turn for the worse since.
New Orleans evened the series with a victory in Game 2 while Phoenix lost Devin Booker to injury.
The guard had 31 points in 25 minutes before leaving the game with a tweaked hamstring. While the prognosis isn’t devastating, it’s still less than ideal.
Devin Booker injury update: Suns star likely to miss games
Booker’s hamstring strain “is believed to be mild,” according to Adrian Wojnarowski. However, ESPN’s NBA insider also said “it appears unlikely he will be able to play in Game 3 and 4.”
The Suns confirmed the mild strain but put no timetable for his return to action.
If his absence follows Wojnarowski’s reporting, he could return before the series is over. Game 5 is scheduled for Tuesday, Apr. 28, giving Booker a week to heal up.
Phoenix is 8-6 without Booker in the lineup this season, per ClutchPoints. By comparison, they’re 56-12 with him.
Booker had averaged 27.3 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.5 assists in the playoffs last year, his first taste of postseason action. In Game 1, he had 25 points, four rebounds and eight assists. He was hot from distance in Game 2, hitting 7-of-11 three-point attempts.
The Suns will have to find a way to hold off New Orleans on their home court until Booker can get healthy. That’ll put pressure on Chris Paul, Deandre Ayton and Mikal Bridges, among others.
Game 3 is coming up on Friday, Apr. 22 in New Orleans, the first home playoff game for the Pelicans since 2018 when they lost to the Warriors in Game 4 of the Western Conference Semifinals.