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Devin Booker won’t be suiting up for the Phoenix Suns’ matchup with Nikola Jokić and the Denver Nuggets on Christmas Day.
Booker was ruled out of Wednesday’s contest with a groin injury, per ESPN.
The star shooting guard suffered the injury in the third quarter of Phoenix’s 120-111 defeat at the hands of the Indiana Pacers on Dec. 19. Booker went on to miss the Suns’ next two games, which were both losses.
Nuggets point guard Jamal Murray is also listed as questionable for Wednesday’s contest due to an ankle injury, via ESPN.
Booker has been slowed down by health issues over the past two years, appearing in 121 of a possible 164 regular-season games over that span. He missed more than a month during his 2022-23 campaign due to a left groin strain.
Phoenix has been impacted by injuries to begin this season, currently owning the No. 11 seed in the Western Conference standings with a 14-14 record. Superstar forward Kevin Durant missed multiple weeks due to a calf strain earlier in the year, and veteran guard Bradley Beal has also been in and out of the lineup due to a strained calf of his own.
Booker remained one of the NBA’s top shooting guards prior to the injury, averaging 25.1 points and 6.4 assists per game while shooting 43.9 percent from the field and 34.5 percent from three-point territory.
NBA @NBA
Devin Booker sealed the #EmiratesNBACup win for PHX with a big 4Q!
☀️ 15 PTS (4 3PM)
☀️ 31 for the game
☀️ 1-0 in West Group B pic.twitter.com/kIjvpLIZIn
The exact timetable for a return from his current groin injury is unknown.
Expect Durant and Beal to have a larger workload until Booker is able to suit up, and veteran swingman Royce O’Neale is expected to continue serving as his replacement in Phoenix’s starting lineup.
Tip-off for Wednesday’s clash between the Suns and Nuggets is at 10:30 p.m. ET.
