The Tuesday night game against the Portland Trail Blazers has been a game to remember for Kevin Durant. The Phoenix Suns superstar went past NBA legend Elvin Hayes in the NBA All-Time scoring table and reached the 11th spot. Along with that, the team also registered a comfortable victory over the Blazers. Apart from his personal milestone and team’s victory, Durant also had an important message to take the Valley to the next level.
Before the start of the season, the Bradley Beal deal caused havoc in the NBA world. Many pundits and fans considered the Suns as the favorites for the 2024 Finals. At the same time, the team was criticized for not having depth in their roster. Eventually, they paid the price for it, when both two of their stars missed out on games due to injuries.
Kevin Durant bats for the Suns’ future
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The Suns struggled with injuries as two-star guards, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, missed out on plenty of games. While D-Book made his return to the hardwood, Beal could take some more time. These aspects have already impacted the team’s run this season. Kevin Durant single-handedly couldn’t take the team to the finish line on multiple occasions. However, now he has found a solution in Jusuf Nurkic.
Slim Reaper‘s praise for Nurkic came in after his brilliance in the game. The 7-foot center dropped crucial 18 points with 12 rebounds, helping KD and D-Book go all out for a dominant win.
During the post-game press conference, he pointed out the potential of Nurkic from the game. He also added, “When he’s hitting 3s, the team goes to another level.” He also urged that Nurkic should play the entire game.
Kevin Durant says they want Jusuf Nurkic to play his full “game and said when he’s hitting 3s, the team goes to another level.
Nurkic goes for 18 points, going 2-of-4 on 3s, 12 rebounds in #Suns win over his former team. #Blazers. #RipCity pic.twitter.com/cg4fZNWe53
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) November 22, 2023
In the absence of Beal and Yuta Watanabe, Nurkic’s contribution from the paint can be handy for the Suns.
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With the injuries on the cards, when will the Suns play with a full-strength roster?
Suns injury update: Bradley Beal, Yuta Watanabe
Earlier the Suns’ management decided to give as much time as possible to Beal to recover from his back strain, considering the long nature of the tournament. So the decision stays the same for Beal, as he will miss out on games for at least three weeks. In Watanabe’s case, he has been out of the games owing to a quad injury. There isn’t any clarity on the availability of the player. Stay tuned for further updates. The Suns take on the Warriors at their home on Wednesday night clash.
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What do you make of Jusuf Nurkic’s role in the Suns’ team? Let us know in the comments below.