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Devin Booker’s struggles continue since return from injury

© Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports

Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker has not looked like the Devin Booker everyone knows since returning from an ankle injury on March 11.

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In the Suns’ 25-point loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder last night, Booker finished with 14 points on 4-of-9 shooting 0-of-2 from deep.

Since his return from injury, Booker has shot 18-of-64 (28.1%) from 3-point range after shooting 38% from deep before his injury. The Suns have gone 6-4 in these contests despite all of their opponents missing at least one key player, if not their best, in nine of them. and Booker, Bradley Beal and Kevin Durant available for all of them.

Phoenix (43-31) now sits in seventh place in the Western Conference with its remaining eight games against teams with a combined winning percentage of .634%. Booker has expressed the importance of every game since the All-Star break when he said “it’s go time” following the All-Star game on Feb. 18. 

Like the Suns in general, Booker has seen his shot come and go in waves. He did have one of his most efficient games of the season in a 128-115 win over the Atlanta Hawks on March 21, when he finished with 30 points on 10-of-15 shooting and 6-of-8 shooting from deep. This was the start of three straight games in which Booker scored 30-plus points before being under 20 the last two contests.

Booker has only shot better than 34% from deep in two contests during this 10-game stretch.

AZ Central’s Duane Rankin asked coach Frank Vogel after last night’s loss if the ankle has been bothering Booker.

“I don’t think so,” Vogel said. “You have to ask him, but I’m not getting any reports that it has anything to do with the ankle.”

Booker has also found himself in foul trouble several times over the last 10 games, including five last night against OKC.

When asked about his fouling after his big performance against the Hawks, Booker admitted “I’ve been fouling.”

Some fans are worried about Booker’s recent performances, given the Suns championship expectations this season. On the year, Booker is still averaging the seventh-most points in the NBA at 27.0 on 49.2% shooting to go along with a career-best 6.9 assists and 4.8 rebounds.

What may be a good sign for Booker is that the Suns next play the New Orleans Pelicans (45-28) on the road Monday night. Booker finished with 52 points in the teams’ last meeting at the Smoothie King Center in a 123-109 victory for Phoenix back on Jan. 19. Dating back to last season, this was the second straight game Booker had a 50-piece against New Orleans.

It might be too early to judge the totality of Booker’s season for Phoenix until the end, but there is no reason to be blaming him for all of the Suns’ shortcomings. However, it is very evident he has been struggling as of late in the most important stretch of the season for the Suns.

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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

 

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