The Phoenix Suns are coming off of a tough loss against the Portland Trail Blazers on the road. Even though Kevin Durant went for 40 points on the night, the Suns fell short, losing 109-104 eventually. The next stop for the Suns on their road trip is Sacramento’s Golden 1 Center.
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The team seems to desperately need the services of Bradley Beal, but unfortunately, help doesn’t seem to be coming anytime soon.
After spraining his right ankle against the New York Knicks on 15th December, Beal has been unavailable for Phoenix. As per recent reports, he is expected to be out till the first week of January. The Suns guard is currently in rehab for the injury and is going to be reevaluated at the start of January 2024.
The Suns will face the Kings at Golden 1 Centre for tonight’s game. Both Devin Booker and Kevin Durant will look to improve their 9th-place seeding in the absence of their team’s third star.
Bradley Beal’s injury history with the Suns
Bradley Beal was a recent edition to the already-loaded Phoenix Suns team. Beal, who was acquired in the summer of 2023, has struggled with injuries since training camp.
He has previously suffered from back issues, which seem to come and go throughout the season. But making things worse, during training camp, Beal reported a shooting pain in his leg, which seems related to a nerve issue. In late November, the Suns decided to shut Beal down after just playing two games. He was reported to be back in three weeks.
Bradley Beal would eventually return during the middle of December, playing four more games for the Suns, before bowing out to his current injury. The first quarter of the game saw Beal land on Donte DiVincenzo’s leg, leading to the sprain. The Suns would go on to lose the matchup 139-122, with Jalen Brunson scoring a career-high 50 points on the night.
Suns Head Coach Frank Vogel talked about the loss and Beal’s injury during the post-game presser. Vogel said, “Injuries are a part of the game……I’m disappointed for him. You could see the disappointment on his face in the back. That’s my biggest concern, keeping him lifted. He’ll get back soon enough, but it’s been a frustrating injury type of season for him.”
Vogel would also provided further confirmation after the presser that the injury to Beal was only a minor sprain and that x-rays have revealed that there has been no damage to any bone or major tissue. Beal’s return will be a much anticipated one, as the Suns will now need to pick up the slack if they want to survive in a highly competitive Western Conference.
