Devin Booker’s absence means Suns lose ‘first domino’

PHOENIX – Offense without Devin Booker there is Phoenix Suns head coach Jordan Ott is feeling a little gloomy.

While he felt that after Friday’s game when Booker was initially injured, that feeling lingered during his postgame press conference Sunday following a 111-102 loss to the Miami Heat.

“It’s hard. Sometimes you feel helpless, to be honest,” lamented Ott.

This is not an embarrassment to the rest of Phoenix, but rather an acknowledgment of how good Booker is on the floor. He constantly cuts defenses and forces them to play at his pace.

His gravity opens the floor for his teammates. Ott made sure to give Booker his flowers for his influence.

“He’s able to make that first domino so many times and make the right play,” Ott said. “He’s been talking about it all year, his ability to come out at the perfect time.”

“Having a feel for the game, having a feel for your teammates, it’s second to none and unlike anything I’ve been around. Without him, their ability to switch really affected us.”

Jordan Ott shared with @DuaneRankin the size that Devin Booker has on offense.

“He’s able to make that first domino so many times and make the right play. He’s talked about that all year, his ability to get out of it at the perfect time. Have a feel for the play, a feel for the . . . pic.twitter.com/neOJV9m4Ig

— Hayden Cilley (@HaidenCilley) January 26, 2026

The Suns’ Jordan Ott isn’t the only one who sees Devin Booker that way

One of the Booker recipients on the floor has to be Grayson Allen. The latter had career seasons in Phoenix, and it doesn’t appear to be a fluke.

He is constantly talked about Booker is a great leaderboth vocally and with his playing. The same feeling occurred when he missed Sunday’s contest with that ankle injury.

The Suns were forced to drop shots in hopes of establishing a rhythm. Instead, they dissected and played isolation ball. That’s something Allen knows it wouldn’t happen if Booker was on the floor.

“When he’s in the game, I think it simplifies how we get open looks. We still do a good job most of the time creating open looks for each other without him in the game, but it’s just harder and it’s harder to last a 48-minute game.”

“It’s a little harder. Not a lot of shots, but probably eight of them felt good about leaving my hands.”

Grayson Allen 1-of-11 on 3 in Suns loss to Heat.

“I definitely should have made more than one of those.”

On Devin Booker’s Gravity-Free 3s: “When the… pic.twitter.com/IJkbK98iL4

— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) January 26, 2026

For at least the next four games, Phoenix will be without Booker. In that period, it will be within five days. The Suns’ half-court offense may not be built overnight, but they will have to figure something out without their top scorer available.