PHOENIX — Tonight is the evening the Phoenix Suns (13-11) are scheduled to return dwelling for a few week – as they tackle the Portland Path Blazers (8-17) for the second time this season.
The Suns simply scored a high-pressure 134 factors in a win over the Utah Jazz on Friday evening, whereas Portland misplaced to the San Antonio Spurs within the remaining seconds of the identical evening.
Phoenix may be again at full power tonight – as Bradley Beal was listed as questionable final evening resulting from an surprising knee swelling earlier than Friday’s recreation.
Portland’s damage scenario has been robust all season – they usually may discover themselves with out two of their finest gamers tonight.
Now let’s transfer on to another key issues to know earlier than tonight’s motion.
The Blazers have now misplaced 5 video games in a row, having final gained towards the Sacramento Kings on November 29.
This workforce’s struggles are largely as a result of revolving door that Chauncey Billups has needed to take care of resulting from varied accidents and illnesses – Deandre Ayton being out tonight is only one instance.
The Blazers are a reasonably proficient workforce, however they’re additionally younger, comparatively inexperienced and lack a franchise participant. This makes constant competitors troublesome – particularly when a mess of accidents are presently plaguing the franchise.
That is to not say Portland cannot give Phoenix a recreation – as evidenced the final time the 2 groups met.
Royce O’Neale and Tyus Jones have been instrumental in preserving Phoenix afloat in any scenario this season – however the return of Kevin Durant has actually proven what each males can constantly deliver to the desk in pure roles.
Jones has reached double-digit scoring in 10 of his final 13 video games, whereas capturing 53 % from three-point vary in December, and likewise whereas remaining one of the vital turnover-averse gamers in league historical past .
Jones can also be having fun with career-best effectivity marks as a scorer – and O’Neale follows in that class as effectively, having rated practically 45% from deep on robust to this point.
Jones’ talents as a desk setter, organizer and spot-up shooter are all invaluable. O’Neale’s defensive versatility, capacity to attain with out disrupting the offensive stream, and rebounding efforts ought to all be recommended.
The Suns made a number of massive strikes through the 2024 offseason – these may simply be the 2 finest.
I do not need to get forward of ourselves, however tonight, Thursday towards the Indiana Pacers and Saturday towards the Detroit Pistons, looks as if an optimum probability to begin to emerge from mediocrity earlier than an enormous matchup of two video games with the Denver Nuggets – one which occurs to be on Christmas Day.
No NBA workforce needs to be taken calmly, nevertheless it seems Durant hasn’t missed a beat in his return — and the solid is undeniably feeling reinvigorated as a complete now.
Maybe the largest consider a possible win is Devin Booker’s 34-point, 8-assist effort towards Utah. If it is a signal of issues to return, it seems the Suns may constantly face higher-tier foes, to not point out some on the backside of the standings.
The Suns-Blazers needs to be notified shortly after 6 p.m. AZ this night.
