The Phoenix Suns need every bit of the full three days off they currently have, as three key players are currently dealing with injuries.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The Suns (34-24) do not play again until Thursday when they host the Houston Rockets (25-32) and will look to build on Sunday’s 123-113 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.
Bradley Beal has missed four straight games with left hamstring tightness. Eric Gordon missed Sunday’s win with left groin soreness. Jusuf Nurkić played in Sunday’s game after missing the previous game due to a right ankle sprain, but said after the victory he was grateful to have a couple days off to rest his ankle.
All three of these players only did non-contact work in practice today, coach Frank Vogel said.
Vogel said Nurkić, who had a season-high 22 rebounds against L.A., is dealing with “soreness in the ankle.”
Beal is “making progress,” Vogel added.
“(Beal’s doing) more sprint work,” Vogel said. “There’s quick-twitch stuff, which he participated in, some of the shell defense, and all that stuff of half-court. And then there’s a full-court sprint, where you stretch out your legs, and your stride. That’s where he was having some discomfort still. But he’s making progress.”
Vogel does not have the power whether to say Beal is playing Thursday or not.
“It’s not about me, it’s the medical team that determines where he’s at with his pain reporting,” Vogel said. “How much he’s still feeling with the increased work. And then with increased work, how does it respond the next day? Which will be the case for tomorrow, and then tomorrow’s work into Thursday.”
Phoenix is 1-2 since the All-Star break and would love to have these three players back to avenge last week’s 114-110 loss to the Rockets. Stay tuned for more injury updates tomorrow.
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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
