The Phoenix Suns are preparing for their Saturday night confrontation at home against the league-leading Boston Celtics, but it may not be much of an even fight. The Suns could be without Devin Booker, as the high-scoring guard has been listed as doubtful.

Head coach Frank Vogel made the announcement to the media Friday. Booker has missed the Suns' last three games with a sprained ankle suffered last Saturday when the Suns took on the Houston Rockets.

The Suns are apparently being very cautious with Booker's injury. Had the injury taken place during the playoffs, it is quite likely that Booker would have been in the lineup for all three games he has missed.

Booker is averaging 27.5 points, 4.6 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game while shooting a robust 49.4 percent from the floor and 37.9 percent from beyond the arc. Booker is capable of taking over any game when his outside shot is falling, and he is the kind of weapon who can trade points with Boston's Jayson Tatum and keep his team in the game.

However, if Booker is not in the lineup Saturday night, the Suns will need one of their best defensive efforts of the season if they are going to keep the high-scoring Celtics within range.

Since the Celtics have dropped their last two games against the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Denver Nuggets, it seems likely they will come out with maximum effort against the Suns. That is especially true if Phoenix is shorthanded, as the Suns are expected to be.

If Devin Booker is not in the lineup, he should get another opportunity to play against the Celtics with the Suns travel to Boston March 14.