8-2! That is the win record that both Kevin Durant and Devin Booker boast against the Charlotte Hornets. The 3 most recent Suns-Hornets matchups saw these two veterans team up to take on the Charlotte franchise together. Not only did they win all 3 of the games, they also led the scoring effort in the respective games.

Therefore, the presence of the duo would be more than required during the upcoming back-to-back matchups against their Eastern Conference rivals. After all, two additional consecutive wins could go a long way in improving the Suns’ 16-18 record. Fortunately, there is good news for Suns fans in that regard.

According to the Phoenix Suns Injury Report, Royce O’Neale is the only player who is listed. This means that Kevin Durant and Devin Booker are free from any injury ailments that would prevent them from taking on LaMelo Ball and Co. O’Neale had sustained a left ankle sprain during the Suns’ loss to the Golden State Warriors in late December 2024.

The injury occurred as O’Neale attempted to block a layup by Dennis Schroder during the first half. He left the arena wearing a walking boot. Since it was announced last Tuesday that O’Neale would be re-evaluated in 10 days, an update on the player’s condition may be revealed in the coming days.

Kevin Durant had initially sustained an ankle sprain during the matchup against the San Antonio Spurs back in early December. He developed the injury after stepping (probably unintentionally) on Julian Champagnie’s foot. When asked about his condition in the game’s aftermath, Durant replied, “I’m feeling good”.

However, he also wasn’t sure about his availability status. The 2x Champion ended up missing 3 consecutive games due to the ankle sprain. Fortunately, he hasn’t developed any other ailment since then.

Meanwhile, Devin Booker himself wasn’t immune from injury woes. During the Suns-Pacers matchup on December 19, Devin Booker left the game during the 2 half. Later, he was diagnosed with a left groin tightness, with reports claiming that the ailment would sideline Booker for at least 2 games.

Before the injury, the shooting guard had played in all 26 of the Suns’ games. Booker eventually missed out on 5 consecutive games, but his groin is well enough now to allow him to take on the Hornets.

Speaking of the Charlotte Hornets, the Eastern Conference franchise has 2 players listed under the ‘OUT’ category. Tre Mann hasn’t played since November 21. After all, his back injury, which was later diagnosed as disc irritation, is not fully healed yet. He is set to miss the upcoming game alongside Grant Williams, whose torn ACL sustained in late November, sidelined him for the season.

Seth Curry missed the Hornets’ previous game against the Cleveland Cavaliers due to right knee soreness. However, he is expected to suit up against Phoenix.

In light of these updates, both teams will have to make adjustments to their starting lineups.

What will the starting lineup and depth chart for the Suns-Hornets clash look like?

Given the successful recovery of Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, along with Royce O’Neale’s injury status, the starting lineup for the Phoenix Suns is expected to look like this:

Similarly, given the update for the Charlotte Hornets, their injury report may look like this:

The Phoenix Suns or the Charlotte Hornets? Who will you be rooting for during the upcoming matchup? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.