After scoring 31 points in the first half of the Suns’ Game 2 loss to New Orleans on Tuesday, the All-Star guard Devin Booker left the game in the third inning due to a hamstring injury and did not return.
Booker, who was ruled out for the rest of the night with what the team calls a right hamstring strain, is expected to undergo examination and treatment for the injury today, writing Brian Windhorst of ESPN. Head Coach Monty Williams said after the game that the team expected “more information” on Wednesday.
As Windhorst notes, Booker missed the first seven games of this season due to a hamstring strain affecting his left leg. He also suffered a hamstring injury during last year’s NBA Finals and has dealt with a number of other hamstring problems over the years, though none are too serious – missing seven games. This year has been his longest time on the sidelines.
The Suns top seeds, who have won 9-5 this season without Booker, will still be favored over the Pelicans even without their top scorer, they don’t have a huge margin of error as they head to New Orleans with a one-on-one draw.
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 played without Chris (Paul) and Reserve,” he say. “If we have to play without the Book, the next person will be up. We’ve been doing that all year.”
