Phoenix Suns Guard Devin Booker will be out of action for at least one week with a right groin strain. The four-time NBA All-Star sustained the injury in the Suns’ 125-108 blowout road win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday night. Booker left the game after playing less than ten minutes and scoring 11 points with 2 rebounds and 3 assists.
Booker’s Value In Phoenix
The Suns have been a surprise in the Western Conference this season. After the departures of Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal, the team was not expected to be much of a threat this season. However, Booker has led Phoenix to a 13-9 start. They currently sit in second place in the Pacific Division behind the Laker squad that they just dismantled on Monday.
Booker currently leads the team in scoring (25 points per game) and assists (6.7 per game). He is also averaging 4.3 rebounds per game and has racked up 20 steals and eight blocks in 22 games. Phoenix selected Booker as the 13th overall pick in the first round of the 2015 draft.
Who Will Step Up For Phoenix?
The team is already without offseason acquisition Jalen Green, who averaged 21 points per game last season with the Houston Rockets. With Booker out, expect more minutes to go to Collin Gillespie, Jordan Goodwin, Ryan Dunn, and Grayson Allen. Allen has missed multiple games due to injury, but he is expected back soon. Gillespie, Goodwin, and Dunn have all picked up starts already this season due to injuries.
Gillespie scored 28 points in just under 34 minutes in Monday’s game. He is averaging career highs this season in points (13.4), rebounds (3.8), assists (5.0), and steals (1.2). He is also hitting 44.2% of his three-pointers this season. Goodwin and Dunn are both averaging just over eight points per game in over 20 minutes.
What’s Up Next?
Phoenix is off until Friday, when they will travel to Houston to face Durant and the Rockets. Houston currently sits at 13-5 going into their Wednesday night game against the Sacramento Kings.
