The Phoenix Suns are the single worst team in the NBA right now, with a dismal record of 4-20. The wins have been rare–and lucky–and the losses have been crushing. In spite of having some talented players in Devin Booker, Trevor Ariza, and TJ Warren, the team loses by +/- 20 points, and often.
And unfortunately for the already-struggling team, star point guard Devin Booker (who is not only a standout on the team, but in the league at large) has been battling a steady stream of injuries throughout his career.
The latest was this hamstring pull, which occurred in the Suns’ matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers back on December 2nd:
Devin Booker was forced to leave the game in the second quarter after suffering a hamstring injury.
LeBron and Tyson Chandler went to check on the young star right after it happened.
Booker was averaging 23.5 points per game before the injury, and it had been his first game back after missing time with a toe injury sustained a few days before that. He can’t catch a break, and seems to attribute his own propensity for injury to the fact that he never fully lets himself heal.
Arizonasports.com interviewed the player about his recent health trouble:
“I’m going to make sure it’s right,” he said after Monday’s practice. “Make sure it’s fully (ready) to go. I don’t think I’ve played a healthy game this season. So just making sure my body gets right before I get back out there because if I can’t give 100 percent out there I’m letting my team down in that way so making sure it’s right before I get back out there.”
It makes sense that Booker would feel the pressure to play through pain; he often carries the team. While they almost always lose with him on the floor, watching the team play without him is sometimes painful. Booker isn’t one to take time off or make excuses, though (even when he probably should), and he’s been known to play through the pain often to his own detriment.
Booker Will be Playing it Safe From now on
The injury on Sunday was a re-aggravation of the same hamstring that caused him to miss three full games, and then play eight more at less than 100 percent. He’s learned his lesson, though, and says that he’ll be taking his time in coming back.
Realistically, it’s not worth ruining his body to lose even more games by just a little less. “Back to the regularly scheduled programming,” he told Arizona Sports. “Treatment every day. Just making sure it gets closer to 100 percent before I get back out there.”
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Devin Booker Injury: Timeline for Booker’s Return Uncertain