Update On Devin Booker's Injury Status For NBA Playoffs
By Jason Hall
April 21, 2022
Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker could miss 2-3 weeks due to a Grade 1 right hamstring strain pending further evaluation, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski on Thursday (April 21).
Booker experienced the injury late in the Suns' 125-114 loss in Game 2 of their first-round series against the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday (April 19).
Booker recorded 31 points in the first half of Game 2, but was held scoreless in the third quarter, exiting the game with 4:45 left in the period.
The All-Star guard immediately called timeout and went back to the locker room after jumping to contest Jaxson Hayes' dunk and appearing to tweak his right hamstring during the landing.
The Pelicans tied the series at 1-1 in Game 2 following a blowout win by Phoenix to open the series on Sunday (April 17) night.
Booker has dealt with hamstring issues during each of the past two seasons, which included missing seven games during the 2021-22 regular season after straining his left hamstring -- on a similar play to the one in Game 2 -- in November.
The former University of Kentucky standout also played through a hamstring injury in Game 3 of the NBA Finals last summer and had previously missed four games due to a left hamstring injury experienced earlier in the 2020-21 regular season.
Booker averaged 26.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.8 assists during the 2021-22 regular season and was coming off a 25-point, eight-rebound and four-assist performance in Game 1.