Devin Booker has been out since the middle of Game 2 of his Phoenix Suns' first-round series against the New Orleans Pelicans with a strained hamstring, but the All-Star guard is well on his way to returning. According to Adrian Wojnarowski, Booker is making progress and could potentially take the floor as soon as Thursday's Game 6 or a potential Game 7 on Saturday.

The expectation, for now, is that Booker would return in limited minutes, and for now, Booker is reportedly expected to be listed as "out" to start on Thursday's injury report with the idea that it could be adjusted depending on his progress. Booker missed time with another hamstring injury during the regular season, so the Suns will exercise some caution in bringing him back up to speed.

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The Suns currently lead the Pelicans 3-2 in their first-round series, and have won two of the three full games that they have played without Booker. A win on Thursday would set them up to play either the Dallas Mavericks or the Utah Jazz in the second round, with Dallas the likelier opponent due to its 3-2 lead over Utah. Should the Suns lose Game 6, they would host Game 7 against New Orleans on Saturday.

Booker is coming off a career year in which he averaged 26.8 points on 46.6 percent shooting. He played some of the best defense of his career, took on more a playmaking burden when Chris Paul was out and ultimately helped lead the Suns to an NBA-best 64-18 record. He will be absolutely critical to Phoenix's hopes of returning to the NBA Finals, so ensuring he is healthy for the next three rounds is just as important as getting him back in the first.

Read more from the original source:

Devin Booker injury update: Suns star making progress, could return in first round vs. Pelicans, per report - CBS Sports