The Phoenix Suns took a tough hit Friday night - and not just on the scoreboard. Star guard Devin Booker exited the game late in the third quarter after rolling his right ankle, a moment that immediately shifted the tone of the night in Atlanta.
The injury occurred when Booker came down on the foot of Hawks center Onyeka Okongwu with just five seconds left in the third. He limped off the court and, while the team hasn’t offered an official update yet, he was later seen leaving the locker room on crutches.
That’s a gut punch for a Suns team that’s already navigating through its share of injury concerns. Earlier in the same game, guard Jalen Green left with right hamstring tightness, thinning out Phoenix’s backcourt rotation even further.
“Pretty unlucky,” was how interim head coach Jordan Ott summed it up postgame. And honestly, that’s putting it mildly.
Booker had been cooking - 31 points, four boards, three assists - and looked in full control of the offense before the injury. His ability to create off the dribble and stretch defenses with his shooting was a major reason the Suns held a seven-point lead heading into the fourth.
But once he went down, the momentum shifted hard. Phoenix struggled to find rhythm without its offensive engine, and the Hawks capitalized.
The Suns were outscored 31-17 in the final quarter, ultimately falling 110-103. The loss snapped a bit of momentum and raised some immediate questions about how the team will adjust if Booker misses time.
This isn’t unfamiliar territory for Phoenix - they’ve had to navigate stretches without their stars before - but with the Western Conference standings as tight as ever, every game matters. Booker’s health will be the story to watch as the team returns home and evaluates the severity of the injury.
For now, it’s a wait-and-see situation. But there’s no sugarcoating it - losing Booker, even temporarily, is a serious blow for a Suns team trying to find consistency in a crowded playoff race.