Going into the 2025-26 season, the Phoenix Suns could not afford to lose Devin Booker, their star player. Leading the Suns this season with 25.0 points per game, he suffered a right groin injury against the Los Angeles Lakers on December 1st.
13 days later, the guard returned to the court against those Lakers at Mortgage Matchup Center. Spearheading the home side’s efforts, he scored 25 points, while logging seven rebounds and six assists as the Suns lost 116-114 on Sunday night.
Suns’ Devin Booker Shines In Return To Starting Lineup
A Much Needed Reprise
While the Purple and Orange won the December 1st clash against JJ Redick’s side, they struggled afterwards. They lost 117-98 to the Houston Rockets, a homecoming game for Dillon Brooks. Afterwards, Mark Williams— one of six players to reach double figures– led the way with 22 points in their 108-105 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, they followed it up by bowing out of the NBA Cup in a franchise-worst 138-89 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Both losses featured players that oftentimes do not see the rotation. Specifically, Jamaree Bouyea, who has reached career numbers, scoring 18 points against the Rockets and 14 points against the Thunder. However, his minutes come late in games, when the Suns are close to defeat.
Furthermore, Booker’s production in the lineup keeps the Suns close in games down the stretch. They are still in games heading into the fourth quarter.
Booker: The Sunday Night Spotlight
That production and overall fight was on display on Sunday night. Down by 14 with less than four minutes remaining, the Suns went on a 17-2 run. This was capped off by a Brooks triple, after Booker followed up his missed three-point attempt.
Outside of the Suns’ late surge, both teams struggled to play clean and efficient basketball. With 51 total fouls, both teams had numerous chances to shoot free throws. For Booker, that meant converting 13 of a season-high 16 shots from the line.
However, Booker also contributed to Los Angeles’s free throws, giving up three fouls. The biggest one happened with three seconds remaining. As LeBron James shot a three-point attempt, Booker failed to grab the ball, which led to James making the game-tying and game-winning shots. While Jordan Ott challenged the call, it was unsuccessful.
“I gotta check the rulebook,” Booker told reporters after the game. “I’ve always been told (that the) hand is a part of the ball … It’s over now. I shouldn’t have been in the area to commit that foul.”
Does Booker Give The Suns A Base Or A Dimension?
Despite the fluctuations in availability (Booker included), the Suns have been good at keeping their “dawg” mentality intact. They once again showed that as Sunday night’s comeback fell short.
However, the comeback fell short because the Suns became too villainous. After Brooks hit the go-ahead triple, he celebrated, then proceeded to shove James. Thus, Brooks was ejected, and was not on the court during James’s pivotal free throws. On the ensuing possession, Collin Gillespie (“Villain Junior” according to Brooks) fouled Marcus Smart after a potential game-winning shot fell short.
“You don’t get explanations, you get it live,” Ott said about Brooks’s technical foul. “There’s a lot of emotion going on.”
However, the Suns have played into that emotion too much over the past few days. Grit can only do so much against skilled squads.
Enter Booker. A four-time all-star, he is not necessarily the foundation of the team, with the culture at an all-time high and players available to step up in his absence. But he does make the Suns what they are right now: playoff contenders. With hard work already in place, Booker’s talent can make postseason play a reality.
Featured Image: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
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