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Pregame notes: Suns welcome back Deandre Ayton, Blazers

Jan 14, 2024; Portland, Oregon, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) defends Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons (1) in the fourth quarter at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images

Here’s what we’re seeing from Footprint Center before the Phoenix Suns take on Deandre Ayton and the Portland Trail Blazers at 7:00 p.m. MST.

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Injury Updates

  • Bradley Beal (right elbow sprain) is officially active after missing last game and will start

Pregame Press Conference Quotes

Suns coach Mike Budenholzer:

  • On the errors the starting group is trying to address and fix: “I think the turnovers are always something that kind of stands out. We got to come out and take care of the ball, make good decisions from the jump street, be good defensively from the beginning, but it’s early. I think we’ve had some leads and I think the group has done a little bit of everything, but a good start is always positive.
  • On facing the Portland Trail Blazers tonight: “(Anfernee) Simons is unique with his speed and his ability to get downhill. Scoot Henderson, similar speed and
    ability to get downhill, so, I think on the ball, we got to be good, we got to make it difficult on those guys. We got to be ready to play the pick-and-roll while trying to keep them in front our bigs, shift and activity around it, but certainly respect their speed and their ability to get downhill. It’ll be a challenge tonight.”
  • On the reasoning behind substituting players who have a hot hand and if it’s to keep their court time to five-six minutes or if the focus was trying to get the max effort out of them throughout the whole game: “Yeah, it’s a little bit of both. I think, hopefully, there’s some flexibility, some ability to kind of make adjustments on the fly. Also, it’s a long game, there’s 48 minutes and there are runs throughout the game and I think you got to be aware of the end of the game as much as you are in that moment, and be thinking, preparing and making decisions for both situations. It’s never easy, but I think there’s a plan and we want to be flexible and adjust if needed.”

Blazers coach Chauncey Billups:

  • On Jusuf Nurkic and how he helps the Suns with his skill set: “I think—Well, I don’t think I know – Nurk (Jusuf Nurkic) is a winner. He is willing to do whatever you know for the team to try to win. He looks great out there. He looks like he’s got himself in some really good shape; they’re using him. One of the weapons that we started to try to use with him is just his shooting. He’s a really good shooter from deep so just having a chance to space him on the floor with all these other guys that can attack is very dangerous. Yeah, he’s doing good so far. I’m happy for him. I’m a big fan of his, not only as a player, but as a person.”
  • On how it has been developing Deandre Ayton and his skills: “I’m trying to expand his range a little bit. Obviously, he’s shooting threes this year and shooting it pretty decent. More importantly, his activity defensively, I’m trying to get him to pressure the ball more. He’s such a gifted athlete, as you all know, but sometimes he could leave some meat on the bone out there. I’m trying to get him to stop doing that, or lessen that, and he’s doing a really good job of it. We’ve been trying to pressure a lot more this year, and it’s been his pressure a lot of times and nights that has really gotten us going. Most teams kind of play through and trigger spot with their five man, let them kind of facilitate – They’ll do the same with Nurk some – Well, we want him to use his gifts there. We want him to pressure right there, and then we obviously want him rolling and sprinting to the basket, which he’s starting to do a little bit more of. I want him  be more consistent.”
  • On game planning against a team with three star players: “Yeah, it’s difficult man. There are some teams that are lucky enough to have one of those guys, or two, nobody has three. You obviously understand that there are going to be some matchups out there that they like and try to take advantage of. We need multiple efforts all night. We need to try to find a way to give them one shot, get the rebound and get out and run. Kind of play at a pace that we think could help. That’s the one difference I would say about their team this year is they’ve been playing fast as heck. They’ve done a really good job of getting that ball out and kicking it up the floor. Love what Tyus is doing. I thought that was one of the best signings of the summer. To be able to get a real point guard like that, one that can organize and orchestrate, and doesn’t need much. So, I love what they’ve done. They’re looking really good. It’d be a good challenge for us to just go up against that.”

Starting Lineups

Pregame Media

Keys to victory: How Suns can keep momentum rolling against Blazers

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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

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