Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal will play Friday against the Charlotte Hornets after missing five games with an ankle injury, the team announced.
INJURY UPDATE: Bradley Beal is available for tonight's game. pic.twitter.com/A1x3HQ86nT
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) December 29, 2023
Beal injured his right ankle in a Dec. 15 game against the New York Knicks by landing awkwardly on Donte DiVincenzo’s foot after hitting a 3-pointer in the first quarter. DiVincenzo was called for a flagrant 1 for not giving Beal space to land.
Beal grabbed his ankle while on the ground and remained there for a few minutes writhing in pain. He eventually stood up and made a free throw before heading to the locker room.
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The Athletic reported at the time of the injury that Beal was likely to miss three weeks.
Beal, 30, has only played in six games this season and has averaged 14.7 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. He missed time earlier this season with a back issue.
The Suns went 2-3 during Beal’s most recent absence and have a 15-15 record on the season.
Still time for Suns to surge
Beal’s return, Take 3. Since he was traded to Phoenix in June, it’s been a long road for the guard. First, he missed nearly seven weeks with a back issue. Then, in his third game after returning, he sprained an ankle and missed two more weeks. Overall, Beal has played in six of 30 games.
Because of this, it’s not yet known just what exactly he brings to the Suns. Will he be an additional scoring threat alongside Devin Booker and Kevin Durant, someone who spaces the court and makes Phoenix nearly impossible to guard? Will he take playmaking pressure off Booker?
There’s much for coach Frank Vogel to figure out. Doing so 30 games in is not ideal, but the Suns still have time to surge. — Doug Haller, senior Arizona staff writer
How Beal’s return impacts second unit
A significant factor in Beal’s return — outside of uniting Phoenix’s “Big Three” — is it strengthens the Suns’ second unit. Inserting Beal into the starting five means Eric Gordon or Grayson Allen will have to come off the bench. Allen has given the Suns just what they’ve needed — a low-maintenance guard who can run offense and hit open shots.
Gordon is a seasoned vet who is coming off a season-high 27 points in Wednesday’s win over the Houston Rockets. While Allen may work better with the starters, Gordon may be a bigger factor in working with one of the “Big Three” on the second unit.
Phoenix has struggled with offensive chemistry — and trust — for most of the season. This could help. — Haller
Required reading
- After another Suns loss, their biggest issue is clear — they cannot stop anyone
- Suns’ Bradley Beal reflects on ‘tough’ trade from Washington — and ‘getting out of limbo’
(Photo: Christian Petersen / Getty Images)