The Phoenix Suns simply cannot catch a break.
Already battling inconsistency and limited continuity, Phoenix took another major hit Friday night when its entire starting backcourt went down in the same game. Devin Booker and Jalen Green both suffered injuries during a 110-103 loss to the Atlanta Hawks, dealing a significant blow to the Suns' rotation.
Booker Injury Halts Suns' Offensive Engine
Booker's injury occurred with 5.4 seconds remaining in the third quarter. He stepped on the foot of Hawks center Onyeka Okongwu, rolled his right ankle, and collapsed in pain. He grabbed his ankle and screamed before medical staff rushed to the floor. Teammates and trainers helped Booker off the court. He limped to the locker room and never returned.
Before the injury, Booker dominated. He scored 31 points on 12-of-21 shooting, including 5-of-9 from three, in just 28 minutes. He also controlled the offense as Phoenix built a seven-point lead late in the third.
Booker leads the Suns at 25.4 points and 6.2 assists per game. His absence removes Phoenix's primary scorer, creator, and late-game closer. The team announced he will miss at least one week and will be re-evaluated later.
That timeline likely sidelines him through the rest of January.
Green's Setback Adds More Uncertainty
Green's situation remains less clear but just as damaging. After missing 33 games with a right hamstring injury, he re-aggravated it against Atlanta. The setback came in only his second game back.
Green had just returned on Jan. 20 against the Los Angeles Clippers, scoring 12 points in 20 minutes. It marked his first NBA action since Nov. 8.
Head coach Jordan Ott addressed the injuries after the loss.
“It’s tough. You feel for them. Book really figured it out in the third quarter and he’d been doing so much for us all season long and then there he was in his flow state. That’s the tough part about it. But I know he bounces back incredibly fast. And then Jalen works every single day to get back to go out and play basketball and then basketball is taken away.”
Ott later provided an encouraging update on Green before Sunday's game.
"MRI came back, nothing new. That's great news for us," Ott said, via Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. "He's in a good place. Hopefully, we'll see him back."
Still, given Green's stop-start season, Phoenix may lean toward caution as they chose to sit him in Sunday’s loss to the Miami Heat due to hamstring injury management. One can only assume that with how things have gone for Green so far this season that they will continue to tread lightly on the idea of rushing him back into action.
Rotation Blow Comes at the Worst Time
Losing both starting guards in the same game disrupted any momentum Phoenix hoped to build. The Suns will remain home during a five-game homestand, but answers remain scarce.
Feb. 1 against the Clippers represents the earliest realistic return window for either guard. Until then, Phoenix must survive without its backcourt foundation. Third-year guard Collin Gillespie’s number has been called quite a lot this season en route a career year thus far, averaging 13.4 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.7 assists. He along with Dillon Brooks, will be asked to shoulder the offensive load while their backcourt tandem works to get back on the floor.
Once again, injuries have reshaped the Suns' season at the worst possible moment.
Newsweek