All-Star Suns guard Devin Booker continues to progress from his right calf strain injury, which has sidelined him for the past four games, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. He could return at some point this week.
“[Booker is] increasing his work on the floor with his shooting, the intensity, speed and intensity of it, but still not ready yet,” Phoenix head coach Frank Vogel said.
Phoenix has struggled without Booker in general, but has really had difficulty during the minutes All-Star forward Kevin Durant has sat. As Rankin notes, the Lakers went on a 19-2 run against the Suns on Friday with Durant on the bench, en route to an eventual 122-119 comeback victory.
Although Phoenix is just three weeks into the 2023/24 season, the team’s issues are already at least somewhat concerning, writes Doug Haller of The Athletic. Phoenix has blown three fourth quarter leads already this year, and fissures seem to be appearing with regards to the team’s chemistry among its new players, plus its lackluster defense. Booker remains doubtful for Sunday’s matchup against the Thunder, Rankin writes in a separate piece.
There’s more out of the Pacific Division:
- Despite forward Andrew Wiggins‘ early-season struggles, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr will not consider removing the swingman from his starting five, reports Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area (Twitter link). Through 10 games, the 6’7″ swingman is averaging just 11.0 PPG on .411/.167/.529 shooting.
- The Warriors were frustrated by a retroactively called technical foul that caused the ejection of power forward Draymond Green in a 118-110 loss to the Cavaliers, writes Kendra Andrews of ESPN. Referees assessed Green his second technical foul minutes after a confrontation with Cavs guard Donovan Mitchell. “I am the same person that got suspended from the [2016] NBA Finals for flagrant fouls that were all called from after the game,” Green told Andrews. “Nothing surprises me.”
- Clippers reserve center Mason Plumlee will be reassessed in four weeks as he continues to recover from an MCL sprain, per Mark Medina of The Sporting Tribune (Twitter link). The 6’11” big man is reportedly expected to miss “multiple months” with the ailment.
How is Phoenix only three games into their season?
Draymond can talk all he wants, he earned both of those Ts. Getting up in the Ref’s face guaranteed the first one. The second one, he got in Mitchell’s face after the steal attempt and then made contact with the ref. Wouldn’t be surprised if he also got a fine. The Warriors played better after he got ejected anyway, because they would have gotten blown out horrifically if they’d kept playing as badly as they had up till that point.
He got the second one as a flagrant that Refs had no right to call. You can’t go back and review plays and call them plays later. Mitchell should have received a flagrant too. You can’t just body slam somebody. NBA will say it was the wrong call made by the Refs but do nothing. Now 2 game this season lost on Refs making bad calls.
Nah. Y’all would have lost that game under any circumstances. The offense yesterday was as lifeless as it gets. Even Steph wasn’t up to his usual standards.
While I’ll agree Mitchell should have gotten a tech or a transition take foul, Draymond earned that tech. You can’t spin guys around to steal from them either.
Green should have been called for a common foul on the push not a flagrant foul. 2 standards here Mitchell can do what he wants and no T but give Green a T for a common foul. That is the point it was the Refs having 2 standards. Mitchells foul under NBA rules is a take foul because he wasn’t going after the ball. Green’s steal was 100% legal.