Devin Booker
Getty
Devin Booker is listed as questionable on the official injury report for the Phoenix Suns' game on Monday, January 19.
The Phoenix Suns lost to the Philadelphia 76ers 109-103 on Saturday night, extending their losing streak to two games. Phoenix shot 11-46 from three-point range, which doomed any chance of a comeback.
Devin Booker and Jalen Green both returned from injury Saturday, but the rust showed. Booker went 1-7 from beyond the arc in his first game back in two weeks. Green brought energy but couldn’t lift the offense out of its shooting slump. The 76ers got 33 points from Joel Embiid, and Phoenix never found an answer.
And now, the roster has taken another hit.
Suns Guard Diagnosed With Knee Sprain
Grayson Allen has been diagnosed with a right knee sprain and will be re-evaluated after the All-Star break.
Allen went down against the Golden State Warriors on Thursday night with three minutes remaining and didn’t return. At the time, it looked minor. The diagnosis came back worse.
The injury means Allen will miss the final two games before the All-Star break. Phoenix hosts the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday and the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday before the league shuts down for a week. Allen won’t play in either game.
The timeline for his return remains uncertain. Re-evaluation after the break doesn’t guarantee he’ll be ready when games resume. It just means the team will assess where he stands once he’s had time to rest and recover.
GettyGrayson Allen will be re-evaluated after the All-Star break.
Allen’s Injury History and What It Means
This isn’t the first time Grayson Allen’s right leg has caused problems this season.
Allen has appeared in just 35 games. He missed seven contests in November with a right quad contusion. Then he sat out nine more from mid-December into early January with a right knee issue. Through mid-February, he’s missed 16 games due to injuries. All of them have involved his right leg.
Allen has been solid when he’s on the court. This season, he’s putting up 17 points per game, a significant jump from what he produced in his debut Phoenix campaign. He’s posted a 40-point performance and logged nine games with at least 20 points.
The Suns sit seventh in the Western Conference at 31-22. They’ve lost two straight and have two more games until the break.
Phoenix needs Allen back and ready when games resume. The Western Conference playoff race is tight. Every game matters down the stretch.
LEEZUS
Grayson Allen is one of the biggest reasons why the Suns have been so good this year.
Pure hooper man. Took a leap this season.
Booker Heads to Three-Point Contest
Devin Booker will compete in the three-point contest next weekend in Los Angeles.
Booker has history with this event. He won it in 2018. He’s competed three other times throughout his career. That experience counts for something, even when the percentages aren’t there. The Suns star is shooting just over 30 percent from distance this season, the worst mark of his career.
The field includes Tyrese Maxey, Donovan Mitchell, Jamal Murray, and Damian Lillard. Booker and Lillard are the only former champions competing. That adds weight to the matchup.
The break arrives at the right time for the Suns. Phoenix needs to reset. Booker gets his moment in the contest. Then everyone turns their attention back to the playoff push.
GettyDevin Booker celebrates. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
Final Word for the Suns
Two weeks off might be exactly what Allen needs. The All-Star break gives him time to heal. The Suns have two contests left before the break, both at home, both against playoff-caliber opponents. They’ll have to manage without him.
Booker and Green are back, but they need time to find their rhythm.
Phoenix sits seventh in the West with a playoff spot within reach. The final stretch will determine whether they’re playing meaningful games in April or watching from home. Getting Allen back at full strength matters more than rushing him back early.
The Suns need him healthy when it counts. Two weeks of rest gives him the best chance to be ready for the push that matters.