After missing the last three games to a right groin strain, Phoenix Suns guard Grayson Allen will play tonight vs. the New York Knicks.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Allen was listed as questionable on the team’s injury report yesterday. He said he suffered the injury during the first quarter against the Lakers last Tuesday night, but played through it.
“Definitely feels good to be back out there,” Allen said. “Training staff put together a good, quick plan for me. Been slowly kind of ramping up, staying in shape, staying right skill-wise, so feel ready for tonight, feels good to be back out there.”
Allen, who has started all 19 games he has played in this season, will not be on a minutes restriction tonight.
“No (minutes restriction), nothing,” Allen said. “I’m ready to go.”
#Suns Grayson Allen (right groin strain) AVAILABLE. Had missed last three games. Says there will be no minutes restriction on him tonight https://t.co/TKPXxXW0Vr pic.twitter.com/Zlwb0Mg9Jn
— Brendan Mau (@brendan_mau) December 15, 2023
Playing with The Big 3
The Suns (13-11 overall) went 1-2 in the three contests Allen missed. Last game, a 116-112 loss to the Nets on Wednesday, marked the debut of the team’s Big 3 (Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal) after 23 games missing one or two of them.
After the Wednesday’s loss, Devin Booker talked about what the team was specifically missing with Allen being out.
“Whenever we get the outlet, whoever it is, the other four take off sprinting,” Booker said, “and don’t just sprint to get down the court, sprint and turn your head and look for the ball and try to get easy opportunities. We missed Grayson tonight he’s really good at that.”
Allen was asked about the pace that he brings to the table in reference to this quote.
“Pushing the ball in transition off of misses or quick outlets this year, especially with whoever it is on the court, I feel like I’ve done a pretty good job of finding those guys in transition,” Allen said. “If they get off the ball early, it’s tough for their guy to top block them or deny them in a transition scenario. So, it’s pretty easy for me to find them or take advantage of the space if no one collapses.”
However, the biggest thing to work on offensively for the Suns now with the Big 3 is their spacing, which Allen has excelled at all season long. Allen is shooting 47% from three and averaging 2.3 makes from beyond the arc per game.
“Those guys, they draw so much attention,” Allen said. “So there’s a lot of space on the backside or if you’re one pass away from them. So, that’s obviously a great spot for me to be one pass away from them because I can either give them space, or if they help off, I can knock down the shot. We had some good actions with having various guys being screeners on them, not just the bigs, but some of our guards and bigs too. I’ve done that a lot, so I know I can mix in that, be a screener, get some threes, roll and make plays in the paint finding other guys or scoring in there. So, there’s a lot of different ways that we continue to evolve with the more minutes we play out there together.”
Overall, Allen is very much looking forward to playing with the Big 3 for the first time.
“It’s gonna be fun,” Allen said. “Some of the three-man actions that we can get into with those three and having me or the big as a screener or someone spacing on the weak side, it’s pretty fun in concept at least looking at it in practice. I’m excited to get more game reps and looking at it, but I think it’s gonna be a lot of fun.”
Other Injuries
Another player that has arguably been the Suns’ best floor spacer is Eric Gordon. Gordon remains questionable after missing last game with right lower leg soreness. The Suns will also be missing Josh Okogie for the second straight game with a right hip injury.
Allen, Gordon and Okogie could all compete for the team’s fifth starter or closer role when they are healthy.
#Suns Eric Gordon remains questionable. Only change is Allen was upgraded to available https://t.co/TKPXxXW0Vr
— Brendan Mau (@brendan_mau) December 15, 2023
For the Knicks, Mitchell Robinson is out after recently undergoing right ankle surgery.
Tonight’s game tips off at 8 p.m. MST and will feature a postgame ceremony, as Shawn Marion will be inducted into the Suns’ Ring of Honor.
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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
