As of late, the Phoenix Suns haven’t been looking too great.
On top of being 1-2 in the last three games, their rotations have constantly changed. Of course, around this point in the season, every team has some sort of rotational change to deal with, but the Suns’ situation is a bit different.
Mainly, their big three of Bradley Beal, Kevin Durant and Devin Booker haven’t been able to play together much. It’s gotten to the point where it’s been a rare occurrence. Why? Well, there are a few reasons.
One of the main reasons why the Suns haven’t been able to play together is because of Beal’s injuries.
Over the course of the season, Beal has dealt with numerous injuries including:
-Back injuries
-Ankle injuries
-A broken nose
-And a hamstring injury
All these injuries caused him to miss quite a few games and, as of March 5, 2024, he’s only played in 32 of the Suns’ 61 games. Those missed games included a few after the All-Star break.
In his absence, the Suns have had to adapt. That means that some players need to step up. One of those players who has had to step up in Beal’s constant absences is Eric Gordon.
Of course, his numbers aren’t great, but he plays his role decently. Specifically, he averages 12.5 points on 45.5% from the field, 38.9% from three, and 81.5 from the line. Again, not great but solid.
Another player who helped fill in at Beal’s guard position is Grayson Allen. Allen, like Gordon, has played his role well. He’s averaging 12.6 points on 49.1% from the field, 46.3% from three, and 88.8% from the line. His 3-point percentage is still the best in the NBA!
Fortunately, he could return on March 2 against the Houston Rockets. But his return didn’t start positively. Here’s what happened below:
Bradley Beal ejected after scuffle with Jalen Green | NBA on ESPN
As shown, Beal got into an altercation with Jalen Green and got ejected soon after. Essentially, even in his return after the All-Star break, it was difficult to keep all three of the big three on the court.
Despite this situation, he was able to play the next game. But the same can’t be said for all the big three.
Later in that game, another issue separated the big three: Devin Booker’s recent ankle injury. Here’s a recent update on his status below:
As stated, due to this injury, Booker will be expected to miss about a week. That may not seem like a lot, but his play is essential to the Suns’ success.
Booker averages 27.5 points, 4.6 rebounds and 6.8 assists. He’s shooting 49.4% from the field, 37.9% from three and 88% from the line. Essentially, his contributions will be missed, especially when considering their record.
As of March 5, the Suns are 35-26, making them the sixth seed in the West. In addition to that, they are only a half-game out of the play-in.
Basically, with Booker and Durant playing more games than not, the Suns haven’t been putting themselves in the best position to stay out of the play-in. So, what’ll happen with him out?
It’s a sticky situation that all the big three won’t be able to tackle it at once.
Overall, Durant, Booker and Beal all can’t seem to be on the court at once. It always seems to be something that leads to at least one of them missing time.
For most of the season, Beal was in and out of the lineup because of injuries. Now Booker will be out for some time. Also, although he hasn’t had major issues this season, Durant is always at risk for injury due to his basketball age and all-star role.
This isn’t great for the Suns because it has a high possibility of affecting playoff seeding and chemistry. The point of bringing this big three together was to win a championship. If they can’t consistently play together, building that high level of chemistry gets difficult.
However, it isn’t impossible. Best case scenario, Booker, Durant, and Beal are all healthy by March 14, move up in playoff seeding, and become champions.
That’s only a possibility though. Whatever actually happens can only be seen live as the NBA season continues.
Stay tuned for more NBA content, including midseason moves, contract updates, and more pieces about every team.
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