Devin Booker’s Shocking Absence Leaves Suns’ NBA Cup 2025 Fate Hanging Against Thunder

Taking on the unstoppable Oklahoma City Thunder, who boast an astonishing 23-1 record, was already shaping up to be a Herculean task for the Phoenix Suns in the 2025 NBA Cup quarterfinals. But now, the challenge just got a whole lot steeper — Devin Booker won’t be hitting the court. Despite showing up for shootaround and sparking a flicker of hope that he might play, the Suns’ leading scorer remains sidelined with a nagging groin strain. It’s a tough pill to swallow, especially since Booker has been out of action since early December, forcing Phoenix to navigate the highs and lows of a rollercoaster stretch without their star — a heartbreaker when you consider the Winston-Salem crowd expecting fireworks. Facing the league’s hottest team without their offensive engine, the Suns find themselves in a precarious spot, glimpsing the daunting uphill climb ahead—especially as the Thunder eye breaking records and extending their historic run. The stakes have rarely been higher, and the absence of Booker casts a long shadow over Phoenix’s hopes this Wednesday night. LEARN MORE

Facing the 23-1 Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2025 NBA Cup quarterfinals was going to be difficult enough for the Phoenix Suns. Now they have to do it without Devin Booker.

The Suns star was ruled out for Wednesday’s game against the Thunder due to a groin strain ahead of the game, which is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET in OKC. He was present for shootaround, but will not be able to suit up for the game.

Booker hasn’t played since the Suns’ win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Dec. 1, when he exited the game early with the groin injury. He’s missed two games since then, but Suns head coach Jordan Ott said last weekend there was a chance he would be able to play Wednesday.

Instead, the Suns will play without their leading scorer for a third straight game. Without him, they have lost 117-98 to the Houston Rockets and beaten the Minnesota Timberwolves 108-105.