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The Suns lost more than just Game 2 Tuesday night.

Devin Booker experienced right hamstring tightness in the third quarter after a 31-point first half and sat the entire fourth quarter of an 125-114 loss to the Pelicans before a sellout crowd of 17,071 at Footprint Center.

Game 3 Friday in New Orleans with the series tied, 1-1.

“We’re going to be ready,” Suns wing Mikal Bridges said. “That’s our brother. Hope everything goes right, but I know everybody is ready to step up. So we’ll be ready.” 

Suns coach Monty Williams said he believes Booker aggravated the hamstring trying to get back on transition defense.

Booker grabbed at his hamstring when Pelicans center Jaxson Hayes got free for a transition dunk with 4:46 left in the third quarter.

Apr 19, 2022; Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.;  Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) slaps hands with Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul (3) while watching the fourth quarter from the bench during Game 2 of the Western Conference playoffs against the New Orleans Pelicans.

He walked back to the bench as a timeout was called. 

“That’s where I think it happened, but other than that, we don’t have much to say about it, but it is a hamstring issue,” Williams said. 

Brandon Ingram scored a game-high 37 points to lead the Pelicans,

Looking further ahead, Game 4 is Sunday in New Orleans followed by Game 5 Tuesday in Phoenix in this best-of-7 series.

“If we have to play without Book, next man up and we’ve done that all year long,” Williams said. 

After a 31-point first half, Booker took just one shot in the third quarter as New Orleans went into the fourth up seven points.

“Book was killing it,” Suns point guard Chris Paul said. “He was having a big-time game.” 

Apr 19, 2022; Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.;  Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) is double-teamed by New Orleans Pelicans forward Larry Nance Jr. (22) and guard CJ McCollum (3) during Game 2 of the Western Conference playoffs.

He was ruled out the rest of the game in the fourth.

Booker missed seven games in the regular season with left hamstring strain and four more in NBA’s health and safety protocols after testing positive for COVID-19.

The Suns went 8-3 in those games. 

Booker played through hamstring issues in the finals, which the Suns lost in six games to the Bucks.

“We’re going to need everybody for this deep playoff run that we hopefully have,” Paul said. 

Booker was on fire Tuesday in hitting 7-of-10 from 3 in the first half. 

Apr 19, 2022; Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.;  Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) claps for his teammates from the bench during Game 2 of the Western Conference playoffs against the New Orleans Pelicans.

His career high for made 3s in a playoff game was eight set in the Game 6 closer of last year’s first round series win versus Lakers.

“He was hot,” Suns forward Cam Johnson said. “He was scoring the ball well and playing well all across the board. It is what it is. We’ve got to continue to fight and continue to play our style of basketball.” 

With the Suns down 43-42 with 4:44 left in the first half, Booker scored 15 of team’s last 19 points, hitting three from deep during that stretch with the final coming from Tempe (29-footer) to give Phoenix a 61-56 halftime lead.  

Bridges accounted for the other four.

Phoenix won Game 1 Sunday as Booker scored 25. 

Have opinion about current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at [email protected] or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on Twitter at @DuaneRankin.

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