Ahead of tonight’s Suns (42-30) at Nuggets (51-21) matchup, the injury lists for both teams were pretty significant.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Bradley Beal (right ring finger sprain) and Jusuf Nurkić (right ankle sprain) were questionable after being injured during Monday’s 104-102 loss to the Spurs. Both did not practice yesterday.
Meanwhile, the Nuggets had all but one starter on the report. Both Jamal Murray (right knee inflammation) and Aaron Gordon (right plantar fascia strain) were questionable. Nikola Jokić (low back pain/left hip inflammation) and Michael Porter Jr. (illness) are probable.
For Phoenix, Beal is available, while Nurkić is out after both were game-time decisions.
Tonight's @BannerHealth Health Update: pic.twitter.com/tKdFERaaNI
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) March 28, 2024
Without Nurkić, the Suns will use a mix of Drew Eubanks, Thaddeus Young and Udoka Azubuike, coach Frank Vogel said pregame. The Suns are 0-4 without Nurkić this season, and he has excelled in the matchups against Nikola Jokić, so he will be a big loss.
(Video via AZ Central’s Duane Rankin)
Frank Vogel said #Suns need to see how Jusuf Nurkic moves around on ankle, how it feels, responds to treatment.
For Bradley Beal, handling ball. Swelling gone down some, but said Beal still in some pain.
Vogel mentioned Thad Young and Udoka Azubuike if Nurkic can't go. https://t.co/Ekld6P1B9d pic.twitter.com/SovSdVBwro
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) March 28, 2024
Murray was ruled out before the game for the Nuggets. Gordon, Jokić and Porter Jr. are all available for Denver. The Nuggets are 11-7 without Murray this season.
Nurkić hurt himself by stepping on the foot of Jeremy Sochan in the third quarter.
Nurkic rolled his ankle on Sochans foot here pic.twitter.com/3tZPRQJQlu
— Cage (@ridiculouscage) March 26, 2024
X-rays came back negative on Beal’s finger after he subbed out with 2:51 remaining Monday. He said that he planned to play against Denver postgame (per Rankin).
Bradley Beal said the plan is for him to play Wednesday at Denver with right ring finger sprain. #Suns
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) March 26, 2024
Damion Lee (right meniscus surgery) remains out for Phoenix, as he has all season.
Only Gordon missed the Nuggets’ last game, a 128-103 win over the Grizzlies last night. Denver has won four in a row and is 15-2 since the All-Star break.
In the last meeting against the Nuggets, the Suns pulled off a surprising 117-107 road overtime victory even without Devin Booker on March 5.
Tonight’s game is the beginning of the Suns playing teams with a combined winning percentage of .647 the rest of the way, as they enter this stretch on a very poor note following the loss to San Antonio.
Tip off is scheduled shortly after 7 p.m. MST. Stay tuned for updates.
Preview: Suns begin brutal final 10-game stretch against Nuggets
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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
