Is Devin Booker playing tonight against LA Clippers in Game 5 of the 2021 NBA Playoffs Conference Finals?
Devin Booker suffered a nose-break in the third quarter of the Phoenix Suns’ Game 2 victory over the LA Clippers in the 2021 NBA Western Conference Finals. Booker’s injury was a result of a head collision that he had with Clippers’ defender Patrick Beverley. Devin Booker had to be taken off with blood gushing from his nose; he only returned in the fourth quarter after getting two stitches on his nose.
Despite the injury, Devin Booker dropped nine points and two rebounds in the fourth quarter to help his team take a 2-0 series lead. The LA Clippers fought back in Game 3 after a commanding PG-13 performance, despite Chris Paul returning to the lineup.
Meanwhile, Devin Booker has played the last two matches with a face mask to protect his nose. He has said that he might be up for surgery at the end of the season. On that note, let's take a look at the overall impact the nose injury has had on the All-Star’s performances and whether he will be available to feature in Game 5.
2021 NBA Playoffs Conference Finals: Is Devin Booker fit to feature in Game 5 against the LA Clippers?
Devin Booker broke his nose in three different places after the collision. Head coach Monty Williams indicated that the Phoenix Suns were preparing to play the rest of Game 2 without their star shooting guard:
"He was probably playing with a great deal of pain. I thought he broke his nose when I saw it. I worried about the blood continuing to flow."
Nevertheless, Booker returned in Game 3 with a face mask but struggled with his shooting the entire night.
He got only five of his layups and one of his 3-point attempts on target and finished with 15 points and five assists. The two-time All-Star had a similarly woeful night with his shooting in Game 4, ditching the face mask in the second half. After the game, Booker revealed that he had never played basketball with a face mask in his life and was obviously having trouble:
You don’t realize how much you get hit in the face until you take it off. You know, I can get surgery after the season. I’m not blaming anything on the mask, but I haven’t played basketball with a mask ever in my life. So it takes some getting used to. But at that point in that time, I didn’t want it. I let my team down in some aspects, grabbing some pretty cheap fouls early in the game. And you’re not thinking early in the game how that can affect the end, so it’s a learning lesson for me.”
Booker was fouled out of Game 4 with less than a minute left on the clock and the Phoenix Suns still not home, but they led 79-74.
Devin Booker also indicated that he might have to wear the mask for Game 5 as well. He had said that he did not want to be wearing it for part of the second half in the previous game, though.
Despite his nose broken, surgery looming and his obvious discomfort playing with a face mask, Devin Booker is expected to play Game 5.