- Bol Bol made just eight appearances and logged only 19 total minutes in his first 32 games with the Suns, but he finally got an extended opportunity in Monday’s win over Portland and took advantage of it, putting up 11 points and nine rebounds in 20 minutes. “I haven’t been able to show it, but I still have all the same confidence,” Bol said before the game, according to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. “I know what I’m capable of doing when given a chance.” Head coach Frank Vogel told reporters after the victory that the team was “really happy” with Bol’s performance and hinted that his opportunities to play non-garbage-time minutes may be more frequent going forward.
- Suns star forward Kevin Durant didn’t play in the team’s victory over Portland on Monday and he’ll miss his second straight game on Wednesday. He’s listed as out due to a hamstring injury, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic tweets.
The Suns have won three straight entering their contest against Portland on Monday night. Bradley Beal has played the last two games after recovering from an ankle injury and his presence has been a “game-changer,” according to Devin Booker, Jack Thompson of The Associated Press relays.
Beal had seven assists against Charlotte in his return and 25 points in a five-point victory over Orlando.
“It’s a game-changer, being at full strength,” Booker said. “The offense was moving, the ball was hopping around and we were getting the best available shot.”
We have more on the Suns:
- Kevin Durant had a team-high 31 points in 39 minutes against the Magic. He’ll sit out the second game of the back-to-back with the Suns listing right hamstring soreness as the reason. Eric Gordon (right calf soreness) is questionable, Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports tweets.
- Josh Okogie has only scored one point in three games since returning from an ankle injury but coach Frank Vogel is glad to have the defensive specialist at his disposal, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic tweets. “He’s an important part of what we do with his ability to guard on the perimeter,” Vogel said. “We’ll measure it game to game in terms of what his nights look like. Some nights are going to be bigger than others based on the matchup.”
- Beyond sixth man Gordon, the second unit remains in flux, Rankin notes. Even Okogie’s spot is not guaranteed, due to subpar perimeter shooting. Nassir Little or Jordan Goodwin could emerge as alternatives.
Cam Thomas isn’t complaining about being removed from the Nets‘ starting lineup, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Coach Jacque Vaughn shook things up Friday night by having Dorian Finney-Smith replace Thomas, who is the team’s leading scorer at 22.5 PPG. The third-year guard said he understands the move and is willing to do whatever is necessary to help the team.
“I’m going to just call it how it is: Everybody wants to start,” Thomas said. “At the end of the day, I want to start, but for what the team needs, I gotta come off the bench where it’s sixth or seventh man, come in and bring energy. So [I’m] just not getting down just staying positive and keep my energy high.”
Lewis notes that the previous starting five that teamed Thomas with Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson, Nic Claxton and Spencer Dinwiddie had been among the least efficient units in the NBA, sporting a minus-21.4 net rating that ranked last in the league among those with at least 100 minutes together. Vaughn was concerned that the Nets had been getting off too many slow starts, and he deemed that aspect of the new lineup successful, even though Brooklyn lost on Friday at Washington.
“At the first timeout, we did have a lead at that time. Finished the quarter even,” Vaughn said. “The numbers, they are what they are. That group that was previously starting … I was hoping that we’d be able to be so good offensively that it would cover up some of the holes defensively and just hadn’t, and so that’s what forced the change.”
There’s more on the Nets:
- After missing 14 games with a strained left hamstring, Lonnie Walker could be ready to return Tuesday at New Orleans, Lewis states in a separate story. Vaughn told reporters that date isn’t definite, but Walker accompanied the team on its road trip and he’s getting closer to being cleared. “I’m getting there,” said Walker, who hasn’t played since November 30. “Still no timetable, but [Friday] was a very, very huge step forward as far as understanding how my physical aspect as far as movement and jumping and running, how I feel. I felt terrific and probably the best I felt in quite a long time.”
- Bridges is averaging career highs in scoring, rebounding and assists, but Brooklyn’s sub-.500 record won’t help his All-Star chances, Lewis adds in another piece. There’s plenty of competition at forward in the Eastern Conference, and his teammates are aware of what’s at stake. “Mikal is playing his way into an All-Star-type of conversation,” Dinwiddie said, “if we can be fortunate enough to keep winning.”
- The Nets’ front office is keeping a close eye on the Suns‘ slow start, Lewis observes. Last season’s Kevin Durant trade gave Brooklyn unprotected first-round picks from Phoenix in 2025, 2027 and 2029, along with a potential pick swap in 2028. The Nets stand to benefit greatly if the Suns’ Big Three experiment doesn’t work out.
Veteran guard Bradley Beal is ready to return from the right ankle sprain that has sidelined him since December 15, with the Suns confirming today (via Twitter) that he’ll be available for Friday’s game vs. Charlotte. He was previously listed as questionable.
The Suns initially announced on Dec. 18 that Beal would be reevaluated in two weeks, indicating they expected him to be out until January. However, the 30-year-old expressed a desire to beat that recovery timeline and it appears he’ll achieve that goal, returning just 11 days later.
Given that Kevin Durant and Devin Booker aren’t on the Suns’ injury report, tonight’s game against the Hornets should be the third time this year that all three stars are available.
The trio made its debut on Dec. 13 vs. Brooklyn and played together vs. the Knicks two days later, though Beal left that game in the first quarter due to his ankle injury. Both of those contests were Suns losses, so Durant, Booker, and Beal are still seeking their first win together.
Beal, who was sidelined earlier in the season due to back issues, averaged 16.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game with a .433/.400/.696 shooting line in his five appearances prior to his Dec. 15 injury. He and the Suns will be hoping to string together some wins and move up the Western Conference standings — the team currently holds the No. 10 spot at 15-15.
Suns guard Bradley Beal has been progressing well and is ahead of schedule after spraining his ankle earlier in December, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania (Twitter link). He’s now being listed as questionable for Phoenix’s Friday game against the Hornets and is set to return early in the Suns’ upcoming six-game homestand, Charania tweets.
After being traded from the Wizards to the Suns in the offseason to form a new “big three” alongside Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, Beal has been limited to just six games all season. The trio of Durant, Booker and Beal has only appeared in a single full game — Beal was injured early in their second game together.
In his six appearances this year, Beal has averaged 14.7 points and shot 42.9% from beyond the arc.
We have more from the Suns:
- While Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Durant was frustrated with the team’s play of late — they’ve dropped seven of their past 10 — Charania downplayed the notion that it was anything out of the ordinary for a struggling team (Twitter link). According to Charania, the Suns and Durant are frustrated, but there isn’t anything deeper going on.
- During the Suns’ Wednesday victory over the Rockets, Durant and Booker appeared to engage in a fiery exchange of words, according to Kelly Iko of The Athletic. However, both stars said those honest conversations are part of the growing process for the team. “It was good for us to go through some stuff early in the game to have those heated conversations where we can be like ‘All right, this is what we’re both supposed to do,’ and come back into the locker room and talk it over again,” Durant said. “Sometimes, heated conversations are good for teams because you can be honest and real with one another, and then, you talk it over and move on. We’re all figuring it out. It’s hard with a new team, new group of guys, guys in and out of the lineup. You want to get comfortable with those conversations, and I think we’re on our way there.“
- Suns big man Chimezie Metu had a career game on Christmas Day against the Mavericks, scoring 23 points and pulling down 19 rebounds, both of which were career highs. Metu played a season-high 34 minutes as Jusuf Nurkic missed the contest. “He obviously scored the ball really well, he made some great passes out of the half-roll when they were trapping [Booker and Durant] up top,” Suns guard Grayson Allen said, per Dana Scott of the Arizona Republic. “He was a really good decision maker and he’s a good lob threat in the low, in the dunker, a good finisher down there, and knocking down threes. He was really all over the court.” Metu is on a one-year, minimum-salary contract and is set to be an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Devin Booker says head coach Frank Vogel and the team’s leaders share the responsibility of turning the Suns’ fortunes around, Erin Walsh of Bleacher Report relays.
“We just have to get it together,” Booker said. “And that’s on me. That’s on Coach. That’s on KD, Eric (Gordon), all the leaders that we have in here to make sure that we’re more prepared when we come play.”
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported this week that Kevin Durant has grown increasingly frustrated with the team’s mediocre play.
We have more from the Pacific Division:
- Suns owner Mat Ishbia has been very proactive in making moves since acquiring the franchise toward the end of last season. However, Vogel said Ishbia has offered words of encouragement through the team’s struggles, according to Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic. “He’s been incredibly supportive,” Vogel said. “Talks through every game with me. Has a great knowledge of the game of basketball. We have a ton of discussions about the teams that we’re playing, the thing we’re doing on the floor and what the results look like. Those conversations have been very productive and supportive.”
- Hawks guard Dejounte Murray is worth keeping an eye on as a potential trade target for the Lakers, The Athletic’s Shams Charania said on FanDuel TV’s Run It Back show (video link). Charania notes that “the Hawks’ direction, of course, it’s in flux.” Murray’s four-year, $111MM+ contract extension kicks in next season but Charania notes that contract is favorable compared to that of Zach LaVine, another player who’s been linked to the Lakers. Austin Reaves would be a target for rival GMs, but the Lakers have shown no inclination of moving their talented young guard, Charania adds.
- LeBron James now holds the NBA scoring record. So what other major milestones could he shoot for? Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated writes that James could reach the 40,000-point mark. With three more healthy seasons, the Lakers superstar could also overtake Robert Parish for the all-time record in games played (1,611).
After missing the past four games with a left ankle sprain, Mavericks center Dereck Lively will be available tonight against Phoenix, Dallas announced (via Twitter). Marc Stein was the first to report that Lively was on track to return (Substack link).
The 12th pick of the 2023 draft, the 7’1″ Lively has made an immediate impact as a rookie, averaging 8.9 PPG, 7.7 RPG and 1.6 BPG while shooting 73.4% from the field in 23 games (25.3 MPG). The Mavs have gone just 1-5 without him this season, including 1-3 over the past four contests.
Here are a few more injury notes from around the NBA:
- Suns wing Nassir Little has been upgraded from out to questionable for the matchup with Dallas, tweets Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports. Little, who is averaging 5.4 PPG and 2.6 RPG in 16.2 MPG over 21 appearances, is dealing with left knee soreness.
- Heat wing Caleb Martin sprained his right ankle and was ruled out for the remainder of Monday’s game against Philadelphia, per Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (Twitter link). Miami was already shorthanded, with Jimmy Butler, Haywood Highsmith and Josh Richardson all out for the Christmas Day contest.
- Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart is questionable for Tuesday’s contest in New Orleans, Memphis announced (via Twitter). Smart has been out since November 14 with a left foot sprain.
- Rising Hawks forward Jalen Johnson is officially questionable for Tuesday’s game against Chicago, but he’s ready to return, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Star point guard Trae Young is also questionable with a right shoulder AC sprain, as Lauren L. Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution relays (via Twitter).
2023/24 has been a roller coaster season thus far for the Suns. After starting off 4-6 amid injuries to Bradley Beal and Devin Booker, Phoenix reeled off seven straight victories after Booker returned to hold an 11-6 record.
However, the Suns have gone 3-8 since and are currently an underwhelming 14-14 heading into Monday’s game against Dallas. Beal has only appeared in six games, first dealing with a back injury and then spraining his ankle, which will likely keep him out until January.
Appearing on NBA Countdown, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said star forward Kevin Durant is growing frustrated by the situation in Phoenix (YouTube link).
“Start with Kevin Durant. You talk to people in Phoenix and around that organization, you know, they can feel the frustration with Durant,” Wojnarowski said. “Part of that certainly is the missed games for Brad Beal. This team was build around those three stars.
“The underwhelming supporting cast that comes from those massive trades for Durant and Bradley Beal that really gutted the organization and left them having to sign a lot of minimum players to fill out the payroll. And then an understanding that they lack the assets, the draft picks, the trade capital to really improve this team.
“This is something they’re going to have to manage in Phoenix with Kevin Durant. You’ve seen it before. And it reminds you — it is a stark reminder — of how short of a window, and how this team has to win big, and they have to win big quickly, based on how it was constructed. And having Kevin Durant still playing at an All-NBA level, and a healthy Kevin Durant. There’s a lot at stake for this organization. It’s got to change soon.”
As Wojnarowski alluded to, it’s ironic that Durant is frustrated by a situation he specifically asked to be traded into — and not just once, but twice. Brooklyn eventually acquiesced and sent him to the Suns in February 2023, but he initially asked to be traded in the summer of 2022.
The Nets received Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson, four unprotected first-round picks and a first-round swap from the Suns for Durant (plus a couple second-rounders from the Bucks for Jae Crowder). One of those Suns picks has already conveyed — Brooklyn selected Noah Clowney 21st overall in 2023.
Durant is 35 years old, so some level of win-now frustration is understandable to an extent. And Wojnarowski is certainly correct that the 13-time All-Star continues to play at an elite level, as Durant is averaging 30.9 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 5.4 APG and 1.1 BPG on .521/.473/.871 shooting in 24 games (36.6 MPG). His 47.3% mark from three-point range currently leads the NBA.
The Suns don’t have many options leading into the February trade deadline. They don’t control any of their future first-round picks, and Jusuf Nurkic, Grayson Allen and Nassir Little — who were all acquired in the offseason as part of the trade that sent Deandre Ayton and Toumani Camara to Portland and Damian Lillard to Milwaukee — are the only the only mid-sized contracts on the roster.
After Eric Gordon attempted a season-low two shots from the floor on Friday and told Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report that he’d like to have a bigger role in the Suns‘ offense, Devin Booker didn’t disagree with his teammate’s assessment, telling reporters on Sunday that Phoenix could benefit from getting the veteran guard more involved.
“I think we just have to find ways to open up looks for him and put him a position to do what he does,” Booker said, per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic (Twitter link). “Nobody takes what he said personal around here. He’s been in this for a long time. He’s earned that respect and he has the talent to do what he said.”
As we detailed on Saturday, Gordon has averaged just 9.8 points on 8.8 shots per night during the Suns’ recent 3-8 stretch. He posted 14.9 points on 12.1 attempts per night (with a .469/.404/.786 shooting line) through his first 16 games with the club, which included 11 wins.
Gordon, who is celebrating his 36th birthday today, said on Sunday that head coach Frank Vogel has put an emphasis on getting him more involved offensively, per Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports (Twitter link).
Here’s more on the Suns, who are in action in the late Christmas Day game vs. Dallas:
- Bradley Beal is hoping to return “much sooner” from his right ankle sprain that the team initially projected, but Vogel isn’t necessarily counting on that. Speaking on Sunday to reporters, Vogel said Beal remains “hobbled” and has still only done non-contact work in practices (Twitter video link via PHNX Sports). “If he gets healthier sooner, then he’ll be back sooner,” Vogel said. “But the expectation is he’s probably gonna be (out) until January.”
- Suns wing Josh Okogie appears set to return on Monday after missing the past five games due to a hip flexor. He’s listed as probable and is expected to play, per Vogel (Twitter link via Bourguet). Prior to his injury, Okogie started 11 of 23 games for Phoenix.
- In a story for The Arizona Republic, Rankin lists six items on the Suns’ Christmas wish list, including getting Beal back as soon as possible and breaking out of a shooting slump from beyond the arc.