Devin Booker (ankle) out for Suns-Nuggets showdown; Bradley Beal (back) 'looking better'

Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker was ruled out of Friday’s game against the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets after spraining his right ankle in Wednesday’s loss at Toronto.

"We've just got to continue playing our game," Suns guard Eric Gordon said, prior to Friday's game. "Guys go in and out all year. We've just got to figure out ways to win. We've got to continue to score at a high clip like we have been and figure out ways to play faster and defensively, just get after it a little bit more and be a little bit more scrappier."

Booker was getting up shots during media viewing after Friday’s morning shootaround.

"He's basically getting treatment I think every 12 hours," Suns coach Frank Vogel said. "Twice a day. You know with a situation like that, sometimes guys can tough it out and finish the game, but it's going to swell up later that night and afterward and it did."

Vogel said they'll see how Booker feels Saturday when asking if he'll play against the Grizzlies in the second of a home back-to-back. The Suns are playing the Lakers on Tuesday in the NBA In-Season Tournament quarterfinals with the winner headed to Las Vegas for Thursday's semifinals.

When asked if the Suns are considering holding Booker out Saturday so he can have more time for the ankle to get better for the Lakers, Vogel said if Booker can play Saturday, he will.

The Suns are 0-2 against the Lakers this season as Booker didn't play in either game due to injuries.

He rolled his right ankle after landing on Raptors guard Dennis Schroder’s foot on a drive to the basket.

After passing the ball, Booker landed on Schroder’s foot, immediately checked himself out the game as he was in noticeable pain, but he checked back into the game with 3:59 left in the quarter.

Booker finished the game with just eight points on 2-of-12 shooting. The loss snapped Phoenix’s seven-game win streak.

Booker came into the season opener with a sore left big toe. He sprained his left ankle late in the opener win at Golden State and missed the next three games

The three-time All-Star then returned against San Antonio, but he strained his right calf and was sidelined for five games. Booker came back from that injury against Minnesota and the Suns proceeded to win their next seven games before losing to the Raptors.

The Suns' play again Saturday night at home against the Memphis Grizzlies.

More: Devin Booker doesn't understand why some teams have had issues with NBA In-Season Tournament

Bradley Beal (low back strain) and Damion Lee (knee) remain out, but Beal was getting up shots during the media viewing after Friday’s morning shootaround, too.

"It was good to see him running around and shooting a basketball," Vogel said.

Beal hasn’t played since Nov. 12 against the Thunder when he tweaked his back again in the first half of that loss.

"He's definitely looking better," Gordon said about Beal, who has only played in three regular season games for his new team. "Hopefully we'll have him out here on the court sooner than later."

The Suns (11-7) announced Nov. 17 he’d be re-evaluated in three weeks as they looked to rehab his back. It’s been two weeks since they provided that initial health update on Beal.

"He's making progress," Vogel said. "Still it's a workload and see how his back responds type of phase. Not going to get into more details than that."

Lee hasn’t played this season after having a knee injury during an on-court workout before training camp. He had surgery on the meniscus Oct. 11.

The Suns are hoping to get him back before the end of the regular season.

Grayson Allen and Nassir Little are no longer on Phoenix’s injury report.

Allen missed the last two games with an illness while Little didn’t play in Wednesday’s game as he returned to Phoenix for the birth of his first child, a baby girl.

Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Devin Booker (ankle) out Suns-Nuggets showdown; Bradley Beal (back) 'looking better'