After being originally listed as questionable, Phoenix Suns star guard Devin Booker has been ruled out for tonight’s game vs. the Celtics, according to Suns’ coach Frank Vogel.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!“He responded well (to yesterday’s practice),” Vogel said of Booker pregame. “He came in this morning (and) got in an extensive workout trying to get it to loosen up, but it’s not quite there.”
Devin Booker (right ankle sprain) OUT vs. #Celtics tonight per #Suns coach Frank Vogel
— Brendan Mau (@brendan_mau) March 9, 2024
Meanwhile, Kristaps Porzingis (right hamstring tightness) is out for Boston. Porzingis was added to the injury report as questionable today. Jaylen Brown (sacroiliac sprain) and Jayson Tatum (right ankle impingement) are available. Brown was questionable, while Tatum was probable.
Booker will now have missed four straight games with a right ankle sprain suffered in the final minute of last Saturday’s loss to the Rockets.
“We’re happy with where he’s at,” Vogel added about Booker. “We don’t think it’s gonna be too much longer … When you when you first see it, you never know how bad an ankle is going to be. I mean, those things can last three, four weeks at times, so hopefully he’s close.”
Vogel said yesterday Booker would likely be listed as doubtful, but then he was upgraded to questionable. Booker was also observed getting up shots after practice yesterday, and Vogel said this was the first time he had done any on-court work since the injury.
After tomorrow’s game, the Suns start a four-game road trip beginning at the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday. Vogel has said Booker will travel with the team on this trip.
“He’s day-to-day,” Vogel said of Booker yesterday. “We’re hopeful that he’ll be back some time during that trip.”
Booker is sixth in the NBA at 27.5 points per game this season and averaging 6.8 assists, good for 11th in the league.
Josh Okogie (lower abdominal strain) and Nassir Little (left knee inflammation) remain out. This will be Okogie’s fourth straight game missed and sixth for Little.
“Josh and Nas(sir) are making progress,” Vogel said yesterday.
Damion Lee, who has missed the entire season after undergoing right meniscus surgery in the offseason, was seen on the court yesterday but is still “a ways away” from returning, Vogel said.
Even with all these injuries, the Suns (37-26) have won two straight entering tonight’s matchup. The Celtics, on the other hand, have lost two straight. They still boast the best record in the NBA at 48-14.
Tonight’s game tips off at 6:30 p.m. MST on ABC.
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Brendan Mau is a senior writer covering the Phoenix Suns and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @Brendan_Mau
