PHOENIX — The top-seeded Phoenix Suns are finding themselves in an even deeper hole against the New Orleans Pelicans.
Devin Booker, the team’s leading scorer, has been ruled out of playing in Tuesday's matchup as he continues to nurse a hamstring injury, according to ESPN.
The series is tied 2-2, but the Pelicans are flying into Phoenix with all the momentum in the NBA playoff series.
Brandon Ingram and Jonas Valanciunas bullied the Suns in an emphatic 118-103 victory for New Orleans on Sunday.
Stifling defense kept Chris Paul to just 4 points on the night, and CP3 didn’t get much help from the rest of the Suns roster.
Booker is listed as being out “indefinitely” after suffering a Grade 1 hamstring strain during Phoenix’s Game 2 loss last Tuesday.
Experts told ESPN similar injuries typically require a recovery period of at least two weeks, putting Booker’s return to the first-round series in serious doubt.
Game 5 will be played at the Footprint Center on Tuesday. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.
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Arizona sports
The city of Phoenix is home to five major professional sports league teams; The NFL's Arizona Cardinals, NBA's Phoenix Suns, WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, MLB's Arizona Diamondbacks and NHL's Arizona Coyotes.
The Cardinals have made the State Farm Stadium in Glendale their home turf and the Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix is home to both the Suns and the Mercury. The Indoor Football League’s Arizona Rattlers also play at the Footprint. Phoenix has a soccer team with the USL's Phoenix Rising FC.
The Valley hosts multiple major sporting events on a yearly basis, including college football's Fiesta Bowl and Cactus Bowl; the PGA Tour’s highest-attended event, the Waste Management Phoenix Open; NASCAR events each spring and fall; and Cactus League Spring Training.