The Phoenix Suns (4-6) and Minnesota Timberwolves (8-2) meet tonight in Phoenix for their first matchup of the year. A developing update is that Bradley Beal has now been ruled OUT for tonight. This should still be a very entertaining game, as fans will get to see Kevin Durant and Devin Booker at least against a very good Timberwolves’ team. The Suns enter this game after blowing another fourth quarter lead in a tough loss to the Thunder Sunday and on a two-game losing streak. Meanwhile, Minnesota has won seven games in a row and has the No. 1-rated defense in the entire NBA.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Local Game Information
Start Time: 7 p.m. MST
Location:Â Footprint Center
TV Channel: 3Tv/AZ Family, ESPN
Radio:Â Arizona Sports 98.7 FM, La Mejor 106.5 FM
Stream:Â Suns Live (click for more info)Â
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) November 15, 2023
Betting Odds
Line:Â PHX -5.5
O/U:Â 224.5
Injury Report
Phoenix Suns: Devin Booker (right calf strain) AVAILABLE | Bradley Beal (low back spasms) OUT | Jordan Goodwin (jaw contusion) AVAILABLE | Eric Gordon (left shoulder soreness) AVAILABLE | Damion Lee (right meniscus surgery) OUT
Minnesota Timberwolves:Â Jordan McLaughlin (Right Knee MCL Sprain) OUT | Jaylen Clark (Rich Achilles Tendon Rupture Rehab) OUT
Starters
Phoenix Suns: Devin Booker, Eric Gordon, Grayson Allen, Kevin Durant, Jusuf Nurkić
Minnesota Timberwolves:Â Mike Conley, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, Karl Anthony-Towns, Rudy Gobert
Last Time Out
The Phoenix Suns fell 111-99 on Sunday to the Oklahoma City in their second-straight blown fourth quarter lead and fourth-straight home loss. This was the fourth time already this year that the Suns blew a lead of six or more heading into the fourth, but this quarter might have been worse than the rest. Phoenix only shot 2-of-21 from the field in the final period and was outscored 31-13. They did not cash in on a single field goal in the last 6:42 of the game. In total, the Suns shot 32-of-84 (38.1%) from the field compared to the Thunder shooting 40-of-82 (48.8%) on field goals.Kevin Durant finished with 28 points and nine rebounds, while Bradley Beal had 15 points and eight rebounds. This was also the best game yet for the Suns’ bench, as they outscored OKC 38-8 in bench points.
This will be the second night of a back-to-back for the Minnesota Timberwolves after a hard-fought 104-101 In-Season Tournament victory over the Golden State Warriors last night. As mentioned before, this was the team’s seventh consecutive victory, as they have been propelled by their defense and Anthony Edwards, who was last week’s Western Conference Player of the Week. Against the Warriors, however, Karl Anthony-Towns led the team with 33 points and 11 rebounds in what was a pretty ugly and intense game. Edwards had 20 points. This game also featured a scuffle at the very beginning which resulted in Jaden McDaniels being ejected for the Wolves and Draymond Green and Klay Thompson for the Warriors. We will see if Minnesota enters tonight’s contest feeding off the energy from last night’s victory or being tired from it.
Flashback: Last Meeting (March 30, 2023)
Team Matchup Notes
Here are some stats, notes and everything else to know about the Suns and Timberwolves before their first matchup of the year (via Suns)
Each team’s stats (via Suns and Timberwolves):
UPDATE: Bradley Beal OUT
Bradley Beal ruled out against the Timberwolves with back injury
PREVIEW: Devin Booker is Back, Can He Fix the Suns’ Early Struggles?
Will Getting Devin Booker Back Fix All of the Suns’ Early Struggles?
PREVIEW: This Timberwolves Team is GOOD
PREVIEW: What Devin Booker Said in His Presser Today
WATCH:Â Devin Booker Interview and Footage from Today’s Shootaround
WATCH: Devin Booker Is BACK … Suns’ Big 3 Will Play Together for First Time Tonight vs. Timberwolves
WATCH: Postgame Pressers Following Suns’ Loss to Thunder
WATCH: Kevin Durant Says Thunder Simply Just Made More Shots than Suns in 111-99 Loss
WATCH: Coach Frank Vogel Recaps ANOTHER Blown 4Q Lead for the Suns after They Fall to Thunder 111-99
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Brendan Mau is a senior writer covering the Phoenix Suns and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @Brendan_Mau
