The Phoenix Suns bounced back from their narrow loss against the Golden State Warriors with a hard-fought 130-125 win over the Sacramento Kings. Kevin Durant and Devin Booker did the heavy lifting on the offensive end, scoring 28 and 25 points, respectively, to help their team stave off a second straight loss.
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The Suns’ job was made difficult early in the game when star guard Bradley Beal exited after playing only five minutes. He subbed out of the game with 7:21 left in the first quarter to receive treatment. A few minutes later, the veteran guard was taken to the locker room for further evaluation and then declared out for the rest of the night.
Beal’s surprise exit from the game left Suns fans concerned. However, head coach Frank Vogel calmed their nerves. During the post-game press conference, he revealed that Beal had pulled his hamstring and suffered a strain. He won’t join the team on their road trip to Detroit to face the Pistons but could be back in action against the Dallas Mavericks next week.
Suns fans will breathe a sigh of relief. Another long-term injury for Beal would have severely hampered their campaign. However, it seems likely that he’ll be back sooner rather than later.
That said, with the Suns finally starting to find their groove lately, this will come as a massive setback for the franchise. While Beal remains on the sidelines, Booker and Durant will be forced to keep winning. And of course, even when Beal does come back, the two will have to play enough games with him to feel comfortable again.
The hope is that, with all the talent they have, the Suns understand the situation and figure it out before long.
Bradley Beal’s terrible injury luck this year
Since joining the Phoenix Suns, Bradley Beal has been stung by the injury bug. He missed the first seven games of the season with a back injury, and three games into his return, he reaggravated it and was sidelined for another 12 games. He returned to the lineup in mid-December and, again, three games into his return, he suffered a nasty ankle injury that put him on the shelf for five games.
Beal returned to the lineup on December 28th and hasn’t missed a game since. He played 24 straight games, and, in that span, the Suns were 17-7. He did not miss a game despite suffering a nasal fracture against the Indiana Pacers in January.
Beal continued playing with a facemask, determined to not miss any more games this season. However, there’s no quick fix for his latest setback, and he’ll have to sit out of the Suns trip to Detroit, ending his 24-game streak. Beal will undoubtedly be frustrated but will try his best to not miss more than one game.
