Phoenix Suns star guard Bradley Beal met with reporters after shootaround today and gave an update on his status heading into tonight’s matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Beal was listed as questionable with a right elbow sprain after missing two of the Suns’ last three games with the injury, including including Thursday’s 125-119 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers. Phoenix has won all three of these games and enters tonight matchup with a 4-1 record, good for second in the Western Conference.
“Feels a lot better. Hopefully I’ll be able to go tonight,” Beal said of his injury, adding that “the game plan” is for him to play against Portland.
Beal said that he couldn’t pinpoint the exact play he hurt his elbow, but it was in the second game of the year against the Los Angeles Lakers.Â
He described the process of getting back to the court.
“The mental part of it, you want to make sure that you don’t have any setbacks if you do decide to go out there,” Beal said. “Once the docs confirmed we were good, it’s just a little sprain. It’s obviously a pain-tolerable thing, just let it calm down.
“We had an extra day between games, so it was just best to take that extra day and feel better for our upcoming schedule … We got a tough schedule coming up, so we figured giving (me) a break and take my time.”
Beal is averaging 18.0 points on 50% shooting, 4.7 assists, 2.3 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game in the three games he has played this season. He missed 29 games last year due to injuries.
Rookie Ryan Dunn has started and excelled in the two games Beal has missed, including recording a career-high 16 points in yesterday’s win. Dunn is now third among rookies averaging 9.4 points per game and first in total 3-pointers made with 11 on 44% shooting.
“I’m just happy for him,” Beal said of Dunn. “Everybody had an opinion on him coming into the draft, and it’s just so cool to be able to see kids and guys kind of shut up that noise and just be a pro. Try to learn your way and just going. He’s just learning day by day.
“You can tell that he’s a willing learner, and he’s a willing worker. Those are two things you can’t teach really at a young age, so the sky’s the limit for him, and he’s a very, very key piece to our team for sure.”
(via The Arizona Republic’s Duane Rankin)
"That's the game plan."
Suns guard Bradley Beal on playing vs Blazers. Missed last game with right elbow sprain.
"Pain tolerable thing."
Injured it 2nd game at Lakers, but noted falls to floor since.
"Crazy block I had on Rui (Hachimura at home vs. Lakers) didn't help." #Suns pic.twitter.com/lQmZcoFDWL
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) November 2, 2024
Suns G/F Josh Okogie is off the injury report after missing the first five games with a right hamstring strain, so Beal is the only Suns player on the standard roster on the report leading up to tonight’s game.
Two-way players Collin Gillespie, Jalen Bridges and TyTy Washington Jr. are all listed as out for being with the G League team.
The Blazers (2-4) have yet to release their injury report after playing last night, but have been without Shaedon Sharpe (left shoulder posterior labral tear), Matisse Thybulle (right knee injury maintenance) and Robert Williams III (left hamstring strain) all season.
Tonight’s game tips off shortly after 7:00 p.m. MST at Footprint Center.
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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
