The Phoenix Suns are 2-1 in their pre-season run. Today’s game in Denver is their last game on the road. Mike Budenholzer has been trying all possible combinations in these tune-up skirmishes. Devin Booker unfortunately sustained a minor ankle injury (soreness) and has been ruled out from the game. Kevin Durant has been sharper than ever, posting 21 points against the Pistons. However, KD and Bradley Beal have been suddenly sidelined against the Nuggets.

“Tomorrow, some of these other guys getting opportunities, and even last night, it is the silver lining of having guys that are injured,” Mike Budenholzer had said on Saturday. The Suns also have rookies on their roster for the first time since 2020. Ryan Dunn and Oso Ighodaro continue to impress with their performances and fulfill their duties. 

Every franchise wants its stars to be healthy before the season begins. In today’s case, load management seems to be the reason for resting Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal. The duo have started all three preseason matches and there are no reports of injuries to either. However, Monte Morris, Ryan Dunn, Royce O’Neale, Bol Bol, and Mason Plumlee were the five starters listed for today.

NBA reporter, Duane Rankin, also clarified that Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal, and Tyus Jones would be “resting.” While that comes across as good news for the Phoenix side, the Suns’ roster has been dealing with quite a few niggles.

With DBook out with ankle soreness, it’s not serious but the Suns seemingly aren’t taking any chances. Jusuf Nurkic is yet to make a preseason appearance. He injured his left middle finger, but Coach Budenholzer said, “He’s making good progress.” Grayson Allen has issues with his Achilles. Josh Okogie left the court during the third quarter on Friday with “hamstring tightness” and didn’t return.

Crucial for Bradley Beal to stay healthy, a reason why Kevin Durant and Co. struggled last season

One of the biggest off-season moves in the NBA was Bradley Beal to the Suns in 2023. With Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal- fans felt like Kirk, Spock, and McCoy had assembled. The Big Three would surely win them the league and certainly had the potential to do so. But they could not live up to the hype. The Phoenix side was dealt a humiliating blow by Ant-Man‘s Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the playoffs. With Beal constantly missing games, the big three could only start 40 games together.

Beal was dealing with a string of injuries last season. He missed the start of the 2023-24 season with a back injury and could only debut for the Suns in November. But just after playing 3 games, he missed 13 more. Luck wasn’t on his side for sure.

If things weren’t already going his way, he suffered another ankle injury and missed another 5 games. By January, the 3x All-Star had regained his health, leading the Suns to an impressive 11-5 record for the month, highlighted by a 7-game win streak. Despite this, the season had already slipped away, and the Suns ended up with a 49-33 record, securing the 6th seed in the Western Conference.

In the first round of the playoffs, they faced the third-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves, where Ant elevated his performance to another level. “If I’m playing half of them games, we No. 1 seed in the West,” said Bradley Beal enthusiastically on the Run Your Race pod last week. With KD and Booker coming off impressive performances in the Olympics and Beal starting the season healthy, the Suns have scraped their way into entering the 2024-25 campaign with top-10 championship odds, 30-1.

They would argue they deserve a higher ranking, but first, they need to prove they can stay healthy.

Before you go, remember to check out this crossover between BG12 and Georgia Bulldogs star Silas Demary Jr.