The Phoenix Suns had some excessive hopes and expectations getting into the 2023-24 NBA season. That they had the league’s latest “huge 3” having added Bradley Beal to the combo with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker this previous offseason, giving them one of the proficient beginning lineups in basketball. However issues haven’t fairly labored out the way in which the crew had hoped, as they’ve a good 15-15 report via the primary 30 video games and are practically on the surface of the playoff image trying in.
Beal Again For Tonight’s Suns Sport vs. Hornets
INJURY UPDATE: Bradley Beal is out there for tonight’s sport. pic.twitter.com/A1x3HQ86nT
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) December 29, 2023
A few of the blame might be positioned on the unavailability of Beal this season. In these first 30 video games, the crew’s latest acquisition has participated in simply 6 of them as a result of numerous accidents, and solely three of them alongside each Durant and Booker. The three have had little or no real-time sport motion collectively in an effort to gel and be taught to play collectively, and we’re simply 11 video games away from reaching the half-way level of the common season.
Thankfully for the Suns, Beal is wholesome sufficient to make yet one more return to the courtroom. On Friday, the crew introduced that Beal can be made accessible for tonight’s sport in opposition to the Hornets, which will probably be his seventh sport of the yr thus far.
Phoenix Has To Dig Themselves Out Of A Gap
Kevin Durant was DOING IT ALL for the Suns tonight 🔥
27 PTS
16 AST (t-career-high)
10 REB9-of-16 FG pic.twitter.com/9rOlyiUxcx
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) December 28, 2023
He’ll have to assist dig Phoenix out of the outlet that they’ve created for themselves. After beginning off the season with an 11-6 report, the Suns have now misplaced 9 of their final 13 video games since Thanksgiving weekend, and have a good .500 report and are holding on for expensive life to the tenth and last playoff spot within the Western Convention. Fortunately for them, the Warriors have dropped their final two video games to maintain them from gaining floor from the eleventh spot.
A pleasant dwelling stand might assist together with Beal’s return. Every of Phoenix’s subsequent six video games will happen at dwelling, as they received’t be hitting the street till January eighth. In reality, they received’t depart the West Coast in any respect till January nineteenth.
The Suns enter the day with a half-game lead on the Warriors and are a half-game behind the Rockets for the ninth spot. They’re a whopping 16.5 level favourite tonight in opposition to Charlotte, who’re using a 9-game dropping streak.