These Are Not Easy Times for Suns as Devin Booker Confirms Frustrations in Locker Room After Grizzlies Loss

The Memphis Grizzlies were without their star, Ja Morant, today. But they showed the Phoenix Suns, you don’t need a superstar to win, let alone three or just two at this point. Devin Booker finally hit the court again after missing five games with a sore left groin, and let me tell you, seeing him back was a relief for Suns fans. But just when it seemed like Phoenix might catch a break, Bradley Beal left the game early with a left hip contusion. As Joey Tribbiani once asked, “Why god, why?!”

Despite a packed house of 17,071 fans at Footprint Center cheering them on, the team couldn’t pull off a win, falling 117-112 to the Grizzlies. Sitting at 11th in the West with a 15-17 record, they’ve lost eight of their last eleven. Their offense has been flat, averaging just 111.05 points in that stretch. For a team loaded with talent, it’s frustrating to see them out of sync to this extent. Well, it isn’t just me saying that.

Booker shares the same opinion.

The 4x All-Star didn’t hold back his emotions when discussing the Suns’ current struggles, making it clear that the team is feeling the heat. “Uh, frustration levels high,” Booker admitted, capturing the mood in the locker room. “We realize these games are going to cost us in the end of the season,” he said, highlighting how crucial it is to avoid falling further behind before the All-Star break.

His point is valid: teams that fail to build momentum early often find themselves in a precarious spot when injuries or fatigue strike in the latter part of the season or, in this case, the whole season for the Suns.

It’s clear Booker understands the stakes, not just for the team but for himself as a leader. “You want to do your work early, pre-all-star break. before it comes down to the nitty-gritty. You never know what can happen… We want to gain some ground. Get up out of the play-in position and just win every possible game we can,” he concluded.

With the Suns struggling to find consistency, Booker’s comments reflect a desire to rally his team before their season slips out of reach. The question now is whether the Suns can translate that urgency into wins. Meanwhile, D-Book himself didn’t have a great game.

Devin Booker struggles in his comeback game

Booker put up 16 points, nine assists, four rebounds, and a steal in 30 minutes, but his night wasn’t without issues. He came painfully close to a double-double, needing just one more assist to hit the mark. The real story, though, was his shooting—it was rough. Booker hit only 4-of-20 shots and struggled from deep, going 2-of-8, though he did make all six of his free throws.

Watching him work through this off-night felt like seeing a favorite artist miss the beat; you know the potential is there, but something’s just off.

KD did his best to carry the team, dropping 29 points, grabbing 10 rebounds, and dishing six assists. The Grizzlies, led by Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane, proved too much. The duo combined for 69 points, with Jackson just missing his season-high with 38.

Phoenix entered the game already shorthanded, missing Grayson Allen (shoulder), Royce O’Neale (ankle), and Jusuf Nurkic (suspension). Their absence showed, especially early, as Memphis stormed to an 11-2 lead, forcing coach Mike Budenholzer to call an early timeout.

The Suns fought back, cutting a double-digit deficit to three points in the second quarter and getting key contributions from their bench. A huge block from Oso Ighodaro led to a momentum-shifting layup by Josh Okogie.

Still, Memphis held firm, with Jackson dominating inside and Bane delivering key buckets. Despite cutting the lead to two, late in the fourth, Phoenix couldn’t seal the comeback. An untimely and-one from Memphis ended the Suns’ hopes in a 117-112 loss.

It’s been a season of near-misses and frustration for Phoenix fans.