PHOENIX — Phoenix Suns center Nick Richards is probable to return Sunday against the Los Angeles Lakers after missing the last two games with a right ankle sprain.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!In four games before being sidelined, Richards was averaging 14.5 points and 8.3 rebounds on 28-for-39 (71.8%) shooting. Backup center Mason Plumlee, who was given the starting nod the last two games in Richards’ absence, got ejected in back-to-back contests, leaving rookie Oso Ighodaro as the only remaining active big man on the roster.
Ighodaro, along with his rookie teammate Ryan Dunn, shined in Phoenix’s 122-106 win over the Sacramento Kings on Friday, scoring 11 points and grabbing six rebounds while being a game-high plus-23 in 32 minutes on the floor.
Elsewhere on the Suns’ injury report, Grayson Allen will miss his third-straight game with a left foot strain. Monte Morris, who has been inactive in nine of their last 11 games with a lower back injury, has been upgraded to questionable against the Lakers.
Phoenix (31-36) has a wide open door to pass up an injury-riddled Dallas Mavericks (33-35) who are 1½ games ahead of the Suns for the 10th seed and final Western Conference play-in spot. The Lakers (40-25), sitting at No. 5 in the conference, will be without LeBron James and Rui Hachimura; Luka Dončić is probable to play.
The game is at 12:30 p.m. MDT and will be nationally televised on ESPN and ABC.
*Get the BEST Phoenix sports insider information, and exclusive content. SIGN UP HERE to unlock our premium content!*
Reporter Connor Moreno covers the Phoenix Suns for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @cmorenoNBA, and on Bluesky, @cloading.bsky.social
