Booker isn’t looking to hasten his return
Suns star’s hamstring is latest in run of injuries
Devin Booker should miss the next game.
And the next one. And, probably, the next one after that.
He’s tried to play through injuries, but once again Booker has found himself in the training room rehabbing his left hamstring after re-aggravating the injury during the first half of Sunday’s 120-96 road loss against the Los Angeles Lakers.
“It’s feeling OK,” Booker said. “Getting better. Treatment this morning. Back to regular scheduled programming. Treatment every day. Making sure it gets closer to 100 percent before I get back out there.”
Suns coach Igor Kokoskov said the chances are “slim” Booker plays Tuesday against Sacramento (11-11) at Talking Stick Resort Arena, and there’s no timetable or definite return date for the Suns’ franchise player.
“If he’s 100 percent, he’s going to play,” Kokoskov said. “Until then, he’s going to be game-time or day-by-day decision.”
This is just the latest in a series of injuries Booker has dealt with this season, which started with an injury to his right shooting hand that required surgery Sept. 10 and kept him out of training camp and all five preseason games for the Suns (4-19).
“I don’t think I’ve played a healthy game all season,” said Booker, who leads the Suns in scoring (23.5) and assists (6.7). “Just making sure my body gets right before I get back out there. If I can’t give 100 percent out there, I’m letting my team down in that way.”
Booker made it clear he plans to take more time to recover from this latest setback than he did last month, when he initially strained the hamstring at home against the Lakers and missed just three games.
“That’s all he was talking about was coming back and being ready to play,” Jackson said after Booker returned from the injury. “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.”
However, Booker began having lower back pain. Then he stubbed his toe last week at the team hotel in Los Angeles before facing the Los Angeles Clippers.
Booker played 35 minutes through that pain, but Phoenix sat him for Friday’s home game against Orlando. He got the fluid drained from the toe, felt better and played Sunday against the Lakers.
Then late in the first half, Booker was looking to get back on defense to deflect a pass, but he came up lame. He had
TUESDAY'S GAME Kings at Suns
7 p.m. Talking Stick Resort Arena. FSAZ.
Phoenix (4-19) is coming off a 120-96 road loss Sunday against the Los Angeles Lakers after building a 17-point lead in the first quarter. … Sacramento (11-11) snapped a threegame losing skid with an 111-110 home win over Indiana, which beat Phoenix, 109-104, last week at Talking Stick Resort Arena. … Devin Booker re-injured his left hamstring in the first half of Sunday’s loss as coach Igor Kokoskov said there’s a “slim” chance the team’s leading scorer plays Tuesday. … Kings rookie Marvin Bagley III missed the Indiana game with back spasms. The second overall pick in the 2018 draft is averaging 13 points and 6.8 rebounds. … Deandre Ayton, the top overall pick, is averaging 16.2 points and 10.2 boards. … The Kings are beginning a four-game road trip as they play Friday at Cleveland, Saturday at Indiana and Monday at Chicago before returning home to face Minnesota on Dec. 12. … Phoenix’s second-leading scorer, TJ Warren, will likely miss his third straight game with ankle soreness.
scored six points on 3-of-8 shooting in 17 minutes.
“It wasn’t as bad as the first time,” Booker said. “It was just a light, little pull on it. It’s a discomfort.”
Still, Booker didn’t return and walked with a noticeable limp toward the team bus after the game.
“It’s frustrating,” Booker said. “Just want to be on the court. Just want to be healthy. Want to be able to compete with my teammates every night. Knowing I couldn’t get back out there and finish the game, it’s kind of frustrating.”
After Monday’s practice, Booker was walking better, but he was wearing a wrap with electronic stimulation as evidence of the wires coming from outside of his shorts.
“It’s an injury you can’t really play with,” Booker said. “Letting it get closer to 100 percent this time.”