Would you believe the 7th-seeded Suns could topple a stacked Lakers lineup featuring LeBron, AR, and Luka? No? Well, expect the unexpected. Phoenix, with an injury-hit roster, leaned on rookies stepping up against a Lakers squad riding a seven-game winning streak. And shine they did. The Suns lit up the scoreboard, stunning Los Angeles 125-108, leaving the veteran stars blinking, especially after Devin Booker went down in the first quarter.

Suns head coach Jordan Ott dropped the update on Booker’s early exit: “Booker hurt himself on the drive, finish over Jaxson Hayes in 1st quarter,” reported Suns insider Duane Rankin on X. During the game vs the Lakers, Booker scored 11 points on 4-of-7 shooting in just 10 minutes, while also grabbing two rebounds and dishing out three assists. 

However, Booker didn’t return for a second stint in the second quarter, raising alarm bells. He wasn’t even spotted on the bench and was later reported to have headed straight to the locker room. Just before halftime, the Suns confirmed he had suffered a right groin injury and would not return for the rest of the game.

Booker’s role with Phoenix is essential. He’s the engine that keeps the team running. His clutch play and leadership earned him a massive two-year, $145 million extension in July, a clear message that Phoenix is built around him.

This season, he’s been putting up 25.7 points, 4.4 rebounds, 6.9 assists, and a steal per game, connecting on 45.5% of his shots, 31.1% from deep, and knocking down 87.3% of free throws. Simply put, when Booker’s on the floor, the Suns have someone who can create, score, and keep the offense humming.

That is why the injury is worrying because it’s the third December in four years that Booker has dealt with a groin injury. Back in December 2022, he missed 20 games, and the season before that, he sat out five games for the same reason.

Even with an early exit due to injury, Booker still made history. In the first quarter alone, he became the third-youngest player ever to notch 17,000 points and 3,600 assists, joining LeBron James and Oscar Robertson in the record books. He only needed nine points to hit the milestone—and with 11 points, three assists, and two rebounds in just 10 minutes, he got it done before halftime.

The groin injury casts some uncertainty, but moments like this are a sharp reminder of why Booker remains Phoenix’s irreplaceable star, even though the shooting struggles continue. 

Suns snap Lakers’ seven-game winning streak

Even without Devin Booker, the Suns didn’t miss a beat against the Lakers, snapping L.A.’s seven-game winning streak. The first quarter saw both sides trading blows, ending tied 31-31, with Luka Doncic scoring 20 for the Lakers. Once Booker left the game, Dillon Brooks took over in a huge way, scoring eight straight baskets and helping the Suns dominate the second quarter 35-21. 

Collin Gillespie added a clutch three-pointer in the closing moments of the half, giving Phoenix a commanding 66-52 lead at halftime. Ball movement, turnovers, and fast-break points tilted heavily in Phoenix’s favor: the Suns racked up 35 assists, forced just 11 turnovers, and scored 28 fast-break points, while the Lakers managed 18 assists, 22 turnovers, and only two fast-break points.

Phoenix’s starters and role players maintained control, keeping the Lakers at bay in the third and fourth quarters. LeBron James managed to preserve his streak of consecutive double-digit games with 11 points before exiting, and Luka Doncic finished with 38 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists, though he tied a career-high with nine turnovers.

By the final buzzer, Phoenix had shown that even missing their star, they could run the Lakers off the court. The Suns improved to 13-9, sitting seventh in the Western Conference, and leaving Los Angeles reeling after a 125-108 loss. As Doncic admitted, “That was my fault. No way I can have nine turnovers in a game.”

Meanwhile, the Suns proved that teamwork, depth, and clutch performances could more than compensate for losing a star.