The Phoenix Suns’ All-Star trio of Devin Booker, Chris Paul, and Gordon Hayward suffered a major setback on Wednesday night when Gordon Hayward left the game against the Denver Nuggets with an ankle injury.
The injury occurred in the first quarter of the game when Hayward came down awkwardly on his ankle after attempting a layup. He was immediately taken to the locker room and did not return to the game.
The severity of Hayward’s injury is still unknown, but it is a major blow to the Suns’ playoff hopes. Hayward had been playing at an All-Star level since joining the Suns in the offseason, averaging 19.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game. His presence in the lineup had been a major factor in the team’s success this season.
The Suns are already without All-Star guard Devin Booker, who is out with a hamstring injury. With Hayward now out of the lineup, the Suns will have to rely on their depth to make up for the loss of two of their best players.
The Suns have been one of the surprise teams in the NBA this season and were in contention for a top-four seed in the Western Conference before Hayward’s injury. It remains to be seen how they will respond to the loss of their All-Star trio, but it is clear that they will need to find a way to stay competitive without Hayward in the lineup.
The Phoenix Suns will be hoping for a speedy recovery for Gordon Hayward and that he can return to the court soon. Until then, they will need to find a way to stay competitive without him in the lineup.
