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Devin Booker's status is one of the key talking points ahead of Monday night's Phoenix Suns-Miami Heat marquee matchup. Booker has averaged 51.7 points per game in his last three appearances and is the lone bright spot for the Suns' offense. His availability is a must, with Phoenix hoping to break out of its mini-slump and return to winning ways on the road.
Booker's official status isn't revealed, but he's healthy and is likely to play. He's coming off a 44-point night just days after a 62-point game. Unfortunately for the Suns, they sustained losses in both games. Booker will hope to have another scoring night and impact the team's result on Monday.
What happened to Devin Booker?
Devin Booker missed 11 games this season. However, those absences came early in the year as he dealt with various ailments to his calf, ankle, foot and toe. Booker last missed a game on Dec. 1 for the Suns, a 119-111 loss to the Denver Nuggets. He was dealing with an ankle sprain at the time.
Devin Booker stats vs. Miami Heat
Devin Booker has played 15 games against the Heat. He holds a 7-8 record against the Eastern Conference contenders. Booker has averaged 23.7 ppg, 4.2 rpg and 5.3 apg vs. Miami. He last played them on Jan. 1, as the Suns claimed a 113-97 win at home. Booker had 20 points, five rebounds and 10 assists on 47.4% shooting.
Booker's role has tweaked since then, as he's back to being a primary scorer for the Suns. He's been on a tear since Jan., averaging 31.1 ppg in 15 outings. Booker has recorded one 50-point and one 60-point game in that stretch. The Heat are on a six-game losing streak, so it's the ideal game for the Suns to get back on track.
They can pile on Miami's misery and get back on track themselves after a 1-2 run in their last three games. However, the Suns haven't looked as sharp on the road. They could also be without Jusuf Nurkic (thumb injury). The veteran big man is critical to their schemes on both ends, especially on defense.
However, Devin Booker and Co. were on a six-game winning streak not too long ago, so they should be able to resolve their woes on Monday. It begins with taking care of the ball, as that is an area where they have struggled heavily in their back-to-back losing stretch.
