PHOENIX — On the surface, it may not be easy to glean much positive from a three-game losing streak coupled with injuries to various rotation players, but an extended break in the schedule due to the Emirates NBA Cup has not deterred the Phoenix Suns in any way.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!“Everybody is still in high spirits,” forward Royce O’Neale said. “We know we’ve got a great team. I mean, health is a big factor but everybody’s spirits (are) still high and we know what we’re capable of and we’re going to get back to that level.”
Since starting the season 9-2, the Suns have lost nine of their last 12 games, which included a five-game losing streak and the stretch of three losses that they are on now. Many of these losses are due to injuries to key players like rookie Ryan Dunn, center Jusuf Nurkić and most notably, stars Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal.
Phoenix is now 1-9 when Durant (left ankle sprain) is sidelined and was 3-5 when Beal was out with a calf strain. Adding the fact that that Dunn (left ankle soreness) and Nurkić (right thigh contusion) have also been sidelined for the last stretch of games, it is understandably difficult for the Suns to remain patient in the midst of this rough early-December stretch.
And yet, the remain unperturbed.
“There’s still a lot of basketball left,” O’Neale said. “So, we aren’t panicking right now. There’s still a lot of time left and so many games to be played.”
Phoenix, dating back to their loss to the Orlando Magic on Sunday, will have had four calendar days off ahead of their matchup with the Utah Jazz on Friday. This extended break and extra game against Utah is due to the Emirates NBA Cup and Phoenix having been eliminated from contention.
The Suns are hopeful that Durant and others listed on the injury report could return during this break.
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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
