Devin Booker Injures Ankle Tripping Over Thunder Player's Foot in Game 3

Phoenix Suns player Devin Booker left Game 3 against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday due to a left ankle injury sustained after tripping over Thunder player Lu Dort's foot. The incident occurred early in the third quarter as Booker cut to the basket.

Booker returned to the game a few minutes later and finished with 16 points and seven assists. Booker stated after the game that he did not know if Dort intentionally stuck out his foot. "I don't know if it was intentional or not -- I saw he stuck his leg out a little bit," Booker said.

He added that Dort raised his hand to indicate a foul, but no foul was called.

Phoenix coach Jordan Ott commented on the play, stating he observed Dort raise his hand as if signaling a foul during the live action. Ott reviewed the film and noted the significance of such calls in high-stakes games. "Whatever the case -- was it a foul, was it not -- he puts his hand up obviously indicating something occurred," Ott said.

The Suns have faced officiating challenges in the series. Booker was fined $35,000 for criticizing officials after Game 2, where the league found no basis for claims of bias or misconduct but rescinded a technical foul assessed at 2:05 in the third quarter.

The Thunder won Game 2 by a score of 120-107. The injury incident follows a recent NBA review where Charlotte's LaMelo Ball should have been ejected for an uncalled flagrant foul on Miami's Bam Adebayo, causing Adebayo to leave a play-in tournament game due to a back injury.

The Suns aim to avoid a sweep in Game 4 on Monday.

Booker went down after the trip and held his ankle while in pain but got up and hobbled to the bench before heading to the locker room. He re-entered to cheers from the crowd and contributed with a baseline jumper and a 3-pointer, reducing the deficit to 75-69. The Thunder then scored the next six points and secured the victory, with one of their players scoring 42 points on 15-of-18 shooting.