Booker’s return could lift Suns
Gritty effort shows that team can still be special
Devin Booker probably returned earlier than he should’ve from his strained left hamstring to be a leader and so much more for the Phoenix Suns.
“That’s all he was talking about was coming back and being ready to play,” Suns wing Josh Jackson said. “He’s still not 100 percent right now, but he
wanted to play so bad, he came back and played anyways. It just shows how much of a competitor he is. How bad he wants to win and be out there with us.”
This is the latest of what has been an uneven start to the season for Booker, who hoped it’d be a special one for the team and himself.
Booker came back Friday night against Toronto after missing three games with the hamstring injury, scored 18 points, but the Suns (1-7) lost their seventh straight game, 107-98, to the Raptors.
This isn’t how Booker envisioned Phoenix starting the season, especially after that opening win against Dallas. He’s had to maintain a positive attitude, but sees signs of things turning in the right direction as Phoenix looks to end the losing skid Sunday against Memphis at Talking Stick Resort Arena.
“They’ve been playing well at the start of the season, but I think it’s a very winnable game for us,” said Booker, who didn’t play in Phoenix’s 21-point loss last month against the Grizzlies in Memphis.
Phoenix competed harder against the Raptors, made them earn the win — and Booker had a lot to do with that.
He’s tired of losing and probably returned too early to show that.
“He wants to play,” Suns forward Richaun Holmes said. “He wants to be out there. He wants to lead us. He wants to put his best foot forward to help this team win. He definitely had some anxiety, wanting to get back, wanting to play. I think he performed well in his first game back and he’s going to continue to get better for us.”
Kokoskov called it a “game-time” decision in the Friday morning shootaround. Once upgraded from questionable to probable, Booker was almost certain to play.
Hours later, his smile on the court during pregame confirmed it. Booker was back and ready to go. He was hugging fans, signing autographs and taking pictures with them. He then started shooting the ball and making moves off the dribble before launching.
He hit one. And another. And another. Oh yeah. He’s playing.
Booker finished with 18 points. He took 20 shots and misfired on five of his seven 3-point attempts, but didn’t further injure his hamstring.
“It felt good,” Booker said. “It felt really good. Obviously, I wouldn’t have played if it didn’t. Still feel a little something, but it’s something you have to play through. It felt fine out there.”
He battled through fatigue. He also wasn’t in complete rhythm offensively, but Booker had a team-high six assists and took on the challenge of guarding one of the game’s best players: Kawhi Leonard.
It wasn’t Booker’s best, but Phoenix will gladly take whatever he can provide right now.
“Once he gets his wind back, I’m sure he’ll feel a lot better,” Isaiah Canaan said. “Just glad to have him back out there. Another presence and a leader of the team. It’s always good to get your leader back.”
As gritty as Booker’s performance was, Kokoskov said he needs more from the franchise player.
“He’s got a lot of responsibility in his job description,” Kokoskov said.
Scorer. Playmaker. Solid defender. Leader.
That’s just the half of it — and he can’t do all those things on half a tank.
“Got to be in shape,” Kokoskov said. “Got to be in shape to play all those minutes because they’re coming, and we need a lot from him.”
This is all part of that uneven start that has prevented him and the Suns from playing at their best.
Booker came into the season having signed an $158-million extension. He put in the offseason work, saw the pieces Phoenix added and drafted, and felt confident in saying it was time to make that jump after having the league’s worst record.
“I’m really excited,” Booker said back in September. “This is really a special year. I feel like we’re at that turning point.”
Eight games into the season, Phoenix has the worst record in the Western Conference.
That’s left Booker frustrated. The injury aspect of it has made it even worse because it has kept him from consistently playing at a high level.
Booker has watched and rehabbed, and watched, rehabbed some more.
He started feeling better, but the unknown lingered. Booker had never experienced a hamstring injury like this, but he felt good enough to give it a go Friday.
He did. The Suns still lost, but they played their best game since the opener and did so with their best player not even being 100 percent.
Booker and his teammates can’t go back and change what’s happened, but with him back, they believe they have a chance to turn this season.
So does he. Booker wouldn’t have returned not being 100 percent if he didn’t.