PHOENIX — Phoenix Suns forward Royce O’Neale is officially out alongside Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal against the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!O’Neale popped up on the injury nearly two hours ahead of tip off with an illness. The 6-4 forward is averaging 13.5 points in his last two games on 9-of-17 (52.9%) shooting from beyond the arc, including erupting for 21 points and seven made 3s against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday.
O’Neale is having a career year from beyond the arc; he’s made a career-high 169 3-pointers for a season this season on 42.1% shooting, which is also a career-high. He has been integral to Phoenix’s spacing and his absence should prove detrimental to the team and its quest to catch the Sacramento Kings for the 10th seed and final spot in the Western Conference play-in.
Mar 21, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Royce O’Neale (00) reacts after making a basket against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the first half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
Along with O’Neale, Beal was listed out for the eighth consecutive game with a left hamstring strain. However, he was upgraded to questionable going into the game, which is a result of the “big steps” that coach Mike Budenholzer has said Beal is taking in his progression. Though the Suns have looked better without him, Durant’s absence means Phoenix may need him sooner than expected.
Phoenix (35-40) is one game behind Sacramento (36-39) and 1½ games behind the Dallas Mavericks (37-39) with seven games remaining and the toughest schedule in the league. Despite being relatively healthy for the better part of the last month, Phoenix’s play-in hopes look even more bleak than they do before Durant went down. Every game is more important than the last.
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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
