In hindsight, missing out on qualifying for the Emirates NBA Cup turned out to be a good thing for the Phoenix Suns. Battling injuries to key players stripped the team of the identity it discovered in a Western Conference-best 8-1 start.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!After a month-long stretch of injuries and losses, the Suns are whole again, as superstar Kevin Durant (ankle) and various key role players return from injury tonight against the Utah Jazz.
Phoenix, losers of 10 of its last 14 games, sits at 12-11 and is determined to right the ship upon its first clean injury report since game nine.
With the team at full strength again, here are three things to watch as they take on the Jazz tonight:
1. How will Kevin Durant look after his second injury?
Prior to suffering a left calf strain that sidelined him for seven games and a left ankle sprain that sidelined him for three (Suns are 1-9 without him), Durant was playing at an MVP level for a team widely regarded as a serious contender in the west. The first injury to the 14-time All-Star was just the first domino to fall in a stretch of injuries and losses for the Suns.
How does Durant feel, though?
“(My ankle) is feeling as best as it’s going to feel right now,” Durant told Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic Friday. “True gauge is real game minutes. I’m looking forward to that.”
The impact Durant has on Phoenix and their success is undeniable. It shouldn’t be questioned. The answer the team, and fans, are searching for is whether or not the 36-year-old can stay healthy after already missing nearly half of his games this season.
Everyone benefits from Durant staying healthy, and that leads us to our next point…
Kevin Durant on possible minute restriction: "Whatever coach needs me to do. I always say if he wants me to play 48, I'm here for that, but if he's trying to ease me back into the flow of things, that's cool. too. It's going to be up to me to adapt as a player regardless." #Suns https://t.co/dcU6mQhDQ2
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) December 13, 2024
2. Will Devin Booker benefit from a fully-healthy Suns?
Of the many revelations early in the seasons, Devin Booker’s struggles have been glaring and… slightly concerning. The 10-year veteran guard is posting his lowest averages in points (24.9), field goal percentage (43.2%) and effective field goal percentage (50.2 %) since the 2017-18 seasons, his third year in the league.
A silver lining to Booker’s early struggles is that they can mostly be attested to him simply being the focal point of opposing defenses in the absences of Durant and Bradley Beal through various stretches. His increased usage in the 10 games without Durant saw Booker average 25.2 points, 3.3 rebounds and 5.8 assists in that span. Decent averages, yes, but on poor efficiency, shooting 41.9% from the field and 32.4% from 3-point range.
Booker, who is known to denounce excuses, admits that his slump is a result of simply missing shots. However, his teammates say otherwise.
“He’s not going to get many open (shots),” Suns point guard Tyus Jones said. “Just the attention he demands, he’s getting two, three guys on him each possession. So, the shots he does get are still tough ones that he can make and has made… He’s not getting any open looks.
“That’s on myself and on us to get open looks and some easier looks to continue to get him in rhythm.”
With the squad back in tact and, most importantly, Durant returning to take some attention off Booker from opposing defenses, things are looking up for the four-time All-Star.
3. Will the Suns get right back to winning now that they’re healthy?
As mentioned earlier, the Suns started the season 8-1 and were tied for first in the Western Conference to start the season. Operating as a well-oiled machine, cruising past opponents, Phoenix was widely regarded as the only team in the conference capable of competing with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Can the team get back to its seemingly dominant ways right away? Well, it’s hard to tell. The team obviously got in a rhythm together early in the season but have since spiraled down to the 10th seed.
Untimely injuries, disappointing losing streaks and inescapable trade talks may be difficult to overcome as they try to flip the script back in their favor.
The Jazz tonight (and Portland at home on Sunday), however, is a good place to start. Two tune-up games for the squad to get right ahead of an important stretch against the Denver Nuggets (twice), the Golden State Warriors and Dallas Mavericks to close out December will be crucial for Phoenix to get back on track.
Things are surely looking up for now, and it’s up to health, engagement and… honestly… luck for the Suns to turn things around.
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Reporter Connor Moreno covers the Phoenix Suns for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @cmorenosports, and on Bluesky, @cloading.bsky.social
