Phoenix’s offense took a major hit early in Wednesday’s game against the Utah Jazz, as Suns star guard Devin Booker exited the game after injuring his left ankle in the first quarter.
Injury update: Devin Booker (left ankle sprain) will not return.
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) April 4, 2019
Booker landed awkwardly while receiving a high entry pass as he posted up Royce O’Neale. He immediately hit the deck, grimacing as he rolled side-to-side. Though O’Neale was whistled for a foul, Phoenix called timeout, and the entire Suns bench came from one end of the court to the other to be by his side.
Booker was eventually assisted off the court on the shoulders of fellow Suns, appearing to put little weight on the injured leg. Once Ray Spalding entered to shoot the free throws, Booker’s night was officially done.
ESPN’s Jordan Schultz reports that Booker will be shut down for Phoenix’s final three games.
Suns coach Igor Kokoskov said results of an MRI on Thursday will reveal the severity of Booker’s injury. His injury left the Suns without five of their top players, as center Deandre Ayton, guard Tyler Johnson and forwards Kelly Oubre Jr. and T.J. Warren are all injured and did not play.
“It is hard to replace a franchise,” Kokoskov said. “It is hard to replace ‘Book’ because he is a special player and special player for our team.”
Per Shams Charania of The Athletic, initial X-rays were negative.
X-Rays returned negative on Suns guard Devin Booker’s left ankle sprain, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium. https://t.co/oMuYtgkTY0
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 4, 2019
Booker had been averaging 36.2 points during the last 11 games, with 25 or more points in each game during that stretch. He recently had back-to-back 50-point games.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
