In the Suns' G2 match against the Pelicans, Booker scored 31 points on 12-of-18 shooting. But in the second half, Booker did not score a single point and was forced to miss the fourth quarter due to a hamstring injury. His departure also became a turning point in the game, with Ingram and CJ teaming up to take a win from the Suns' home stadium.
Booker's tendon injury appeared in the third quarter. When Pelicans center Hayes tried to quickly dunk, Booker jumped up and landed unsteadily. On running back to the field, Booker reached out and grabbed his right hamstring. According to TNT's reporter, Allie LaForce, the Suns will continue to evaluate Booker's injuries and will undergo an MRI.
In an interview with the media, Suns coach Monty Williams said that if Booker can't play in G3, the team must have someone to be able to stand up. Cameron Johnson and Shamet may have to play an important role until Booker is back in good health.
In 68 games in the regular season, Booker averaged 26.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game, making him an All-Star for the third time in his career. In December, Booker missed seven games with a left hamstring injury, while the Suns finished 5-2. It seems that Booker's absence will not affect the Suns' record.
But don't forget, this is the stage for the playoffs. The next 3rd and 4th games of the series will be transferred to New Orleans. The Pelicans, who won a win on the road, are bound to launch a counterattack at home. The Pelicans will seek to use their home field advantage against the best Suns in the league. Many fans can't help but ask, will the Pelicans have a chance to stage the "Black Nine Miracle"?
First of all, if the Pelicans want to eliminate the Suns, Booker's injury is crucial. Once Booker is identified as having a first-degree hamstring strain, he has to miss out for at least 5-6 games. The Pelicans saw the hope of the Black Nine Miracle. Second, the Pelicans team is resilient. They only finished 9th in the West in the regular season, but beat spurs and Clippers in the playoffs, which was impressive. Especially in the game against the Clippers, the Pelicans staged a turnaround in the fourth quarter and showed great resilience. The Pelicans, which have two stars, Ingram and CJ McClem, have a certain chance of staging the "Black Nine Miracle".