Devin Booker and the Phoenix Suns have had the greatest season, not for this year but also in franchise history. They are the only team this season to win 60-plus games. Since they went undefeated in the bubble, the franchise has been on the up and up. They won the West last season but lost the NBA finals.
They are now the favorites to win the West again but are already facing problems. Nine on ten the number one seed makes easy work of the 8th seed. But 5 games in, it still looks like it could be anyone’s series. And they could be sent home if Devin Booker does not rejoin the lineup.
Devin Booker is highly likely to return in the first round
Devin averaged 27 points per game this season and was the primary scorer for Phoenix. He was a huge reason why Phoenix had a top 5 offense in the league. Since Chris Paul joined the Suns, Booker got the help he needed to achieve his true potential. However, he’s still not an NBA champion, no matter how close he got.
This season, no one was on the level of the Suns or so we thought. In the first round, the ‘9th seed’ Pelicans won the play-in to matchup against the Phoenix Suns. 5 games into the series, the record is currently 3-2. The biggest problem has been due to the absence of Devin Booker since game 2.
In the 3rd quarter of game 2, whilst defending a fast break, Devin Booker came down with a hamstring injury. It didn’t look severe but just for a couple of games. However, in the playoffs, that’s enough to change the course of the season.
The good news for Suns fans is that he will be back in Game 6 or Game 7.
ESPN Sources: Phoenix Suns All-Star G Devin Booker (hamstring strain) is progressing toward a return soon, including the possibility as soon as Game 6 or Game 7 of this playoff series vs. New Orleans. He’s expected to be initially listed as out for Thursday’s Game 6.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 27, 2022
His inclusion back in the lineup could be the push the Suns need to close out what should have been the easiest series of this postseason for them. Will Devin Booker be the reason for the Suns’ boom or bust in this NBA playoffs?