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The Phoenix Suns faced an injury scare with their best player.
Star guard Devin Booker hobbled to the locker room midway through the third quarter of Phoenix’s game Tuesday, Jan. 13 against the Miami Heat.
The play that Booker suffered the injury on came with a little more than a minute to play in the period. It came when Booker was retreating in transition defense.
Heat guard Tyler Herro was leading the Miami break, before he tossed a lob to guard Pelle Larsson. Booker leaped up to defend the play and broke it up without committing a foul. He landed awkwardly, however, and showed immediate discomfort, grabbing at his lower left leg, near his ankle.
Booker would get up on his own power and hobble straight through the tunnel.
At the time he left the game, Booker had scored 22 points on 5-of-17 shooting, adding 8 rebounds and 8 assists.
When the fourth quarter started, Booker was not on the floor or at the Phoenix bench area. Minutes after the fourth quarter began, however, Booker returned to the bench and was working his left foot with a stretchy green resistance band.
Minutes after that, Booker headed over to the scorer’s table to sub back in. He made his return to the game with 9:11 left to play in the fourth.
The Suns and Heat entered the fourth quarter tied at 92, though Phoenix outscored Miami 35-19 in the third period.
