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Suns' Devin Booker Ruled Out vs. Nuggets Because of Groin Injury
December 26, 2022
Phoenix Suns star shooting guard Devin Booker is out for the remainder of Sunday night's game against the Denver Nuggets because of a groin injury, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.
Booker, who missed the past three games because of groin soreness, played a little over four minutes on Sunday before it was determined that he couldn't continue.
The sharpshooter leads the Suns with 28.0 points and 5.8 assists per game this season while also adding 4.8 rebounds.
Hamstring injuries have hindered Booker in recent years, as he missed time last season with a hamstring strain and also played through a similar injury during the 2021 NBA Finals against the Milwaukee Bucks, which the Suns lost in six games. He also suffered a hamstring strain that caused him to miss time in last season's first-round playoff series against the New Orleans Pelicans.
When healthy, Booker is one of the brightest young stars in the NBA. The 25-year-old averaged 26.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.1 steals while shooting 46.6 percent from the field and 38.3 percent from beyond the arc in the 2021-22 regular season.
With Booker leading the way, Phoenix finished with the best record in the NBA last season. However, the Suns' title aspirations fell short when they lost in seven games to the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference semifinals. The team has a 19-14 record entering Sunday's game, which ranks first in the Pacific Division.
Phoenix dealt with turmoil this offseason after an investigation revealed that former owner Robert Sarver used racist and misogynistic language on multiple occasions. Sarver announced plans to sell the franchise in September.
While Booker is out, the more minutes will be available for Landry Shamet, Damion Lee and Josh Okogie.