On Sunday, the Phoenix Suns will look to get back to winning ways when they face the Orlando Magic on the road. They are coming off a gut-wrenching 133-131 loss to the Indiana Pacers. While Devin Booker delivered one the best performances of his career and scored 62 points, the Suns’ other two superstars, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal, had quieter nights. However, in their game against the Magic, Beal might not be available.
Advertisement
Beal was especially poor. He was 5-of-13 from the field and finished with only 12 points. He also took an elbow to the face from Pacers’ Myles Turner in the third quarter and had to go to the locker room for treatment.
Beal returned to the game after medical treatment but struggled to make an impact. His name has popped up on the Suns’ injury report. He has been diagnosed with a nasal fracture.
Beal’s status has been listed as questionable for Phoenix’s trip to Orlando on Sunday. Beal, who is averaging 17.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 4.1 assists this season, could play the game with a protective face mask. However, the Suns will likely not risk Beal’s injury worsening and will rest him for the game against the Magic.
They are one game clear of the 7th-placed New Orleans Pelicans and one behind the 5th-placed Sacramento Kings. A win or a loss against the Magic won’t affect their position on the Western Conference Standings much. They can afford to rest Beal so he can receive more treatment before returning to the lineup next week.
Suns’ incredible turnaround since Bradley Beal’s return
The Phoenix Suns made a massive statement in the 2023 off-season when they traded for Washington Wizards superstar Bradley Beal. They formed the NBA’s latest iteration of a ‘Big 3’ featuring Beal, Booker, and Durant.
Beal missed the first seven games of the season with lower back tightness. Three games into his career as a Sun, he was back on the shelf for 12 games due to lower back spasms. In his third game back in the starting lineup, Beal suffered a gruesome ankle injury that forced him to miss another five games.
The Suns were 15-15 when Beal returned from his ankle injury on December 29th. The veteran guard has played 15 straight games and has helped his team turn their campaign around. They were 11-4 during that phase and had won seven on the trot before losing to the Pacers.
The Suns live up to their billing as title contenders with Beal in the starting lineup. They are 13-11 without their superstar guard in the team and 13-8 with him. Phoenix will hope his latest injury setback doesn’t sideline him for more than one game.
