Suns’ Jordan Ott wants explanation after Devin Booker gets ‘smacked in the face’

Suns coach Jordan Ott kept hearing about legal guarding position. He’d like someone to explain how that covers Devin Booker getting hit in the face.

Ott questioned the officials after Booker took contact on a drive during the third quarter of Wednesday’s 132-119 loss to the Trail Blazers. No foul was called, and Booker went to the locker room before returning in the fourth.

“Please define legal guarding position,” Ott told reporters, via Brendan Mau of Sports Illustrated. “When a man gets hit in the face, airborne, goes down on the ground. Your superstar player? Not sure what legal guarding position it is to get smacked in the face.”

The explanation he received didn’t satisfy him.

“So I keep hearing legal guarding position,” Ott continued. “Keep hearing that was not a foul on that specific play. I was told that was not a foul.”

Now, it’s fair to want an explanation. But the Suns also have plenty to answer for themselves, and Booker acknowledged it.

Phoenix dropped to 1-5, allowing a season-high 132 points and sending Portland to the line for 41 free throws. Booker scored a game-high 33 points but fouled out for the second consecutive game.

“We have to do a better job of not fouling,” Booker said. “We found some things offensively, we just have to clean up the defense.”

The Suns have committed 29 personal fouls in each of their past two games. Whatever their complaints about individual calls, that’s a difficult way to win.

“Stop fouling, finish possessions, get rebounds. It has been the same story the whole season,” Booker said. “We’ve done it good in spots, but we haven’t been able to put together 48 minutes. We have to find a way to do it.”