Devin Booker Injury Update: Latest on 4x All-Star's status against Denver Nuggets (March 5)

The Phoenix Suns will have to navigate a part of the crucial final phase of the regular season without Devin Booker as they aim for a playoff berth.

The Suns will miss the four-time All-Star Devin Booker for their key game against the reigning champions on Tuesday. This matchup marks the second of their season series, with the Nuggets having secured a victory in the first meeting, 119-111, on Dec. 1.

Devin Booker injury update

According to reports, Booker is anticipated to miss a minimum of seven to 10 days following a right ankle sprain he sustained on Saturday.

Despite the possibility of Booker being sidelined for just a week, the Suns are in a tight spot as the season enters its final full month.

Their recent defeat to the OKC Thunder on Sunday dropped them to a 35-26 record, placing them seventh in the Western Conference standings.

The Sacramento Kings, possessing the tiebreaker advantage, narrowly surpass Phoenix for the sixth seed, the final direct spot for playoff qualification that bypasses the need for participation in the play-in tournament.

Phoenix is just one game behind the New Orleans Pelicans for the fifth seed. However, they face stiff competition for playoff positioning, with the Dallas Mavericks, LA Lakers and Golden State Warriors all within a 2.5-game margin.

In addition to him, the Suns will also be without Nassir Little (knee) and Josh Okogie (abdomen), while Jusuf Nurkic is questionable due to right calf tightness.

What happened to Devin Booker?

The All-Star guard sustained an ankle injury during the final moments of the Suns' defeat to the Houston Rockets after rolling his ankle in a collision with teammate Royce O'Neale while backtracking on defense.

He was visibly in distress, remaining on the court momentarily and clutching his ankle before he limped off to the locker room.

The Suns have faced challenges in the absence of DBook this season, posting a 4-7 record in the games he missed. This marks a significant decline from their 31-19 record when he is in the lineup.

Phoenix has also grappled with keeping its trio of stars — Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal and Book — healthy simultaneously throughout much of the season.

The three have only managed to play together in 23 games, with a 14-9 record in those contests.

However, their synergy showed improvement recently, with a 12-5 record in the 17 games since Jan. 11 where all three were on the court together.