PHOENIX — The NBA fined the Phoenix Suns $25,000 on Saturday for violating injury reporting rules by failing to disclose guard Devin Booker’s participation status in an accurate and timely manner before Game 6 of the first-round playoff series against the New Orleans Pelicans.
Booker returned from a strained right hamstring to help the Suns beat the Pelicans 115-109 on Thursday night in New Orleans in the series-ending game. He scored 13 points on 5-of-12 shooting and had five rebounds and three assists in 32 minutes.
Phoenix coach Monty Williams said Booker ramped up his conditioning while nursing a hamstring injury by playing one-on-one with assistant coach Jarrett Jack in the last several days.
“He’s been on the floor with Jack a few times, doing the best he can to get to that point,” Williams said.
Williams was also fined $15,000 for publicly criticizing the officiating in Game 4. Williams made his comments to the media following the Suns’ Game 4 loss, saying he did not want to take away from the Pelicans’ effort, but he was upset by the disparity in foul shots.
The Suns will open the second round at home against Dallas on Monday night.
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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.