CLEVELAND — Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal hopes to play in Monday’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day recreation towards the Cleveland Cavaliers after lacking the final two video games with a sprained left ankle.
“So long as I can transfer like Brad, I’m good,” Beal stated.
Beal is listed as questionable as a result of he accomplished a exercise after Sunday’s observe/shootout on Cleveland’s observe discipline at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
The Suns guard dribbled, reduce, stopped, jumped and shot with one fluid movement.
“It’s feeling higher,” Beal stated of the ankle.
Bradley Beal will get to work after Suns filming/observe.
Transfer onto that left ankle.
He hasn’t performed since Tuesday in Atlanta.
He missed the final two video games. #Suns pic.twitter.com/anVHEsf3Ej
-Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) January 19, 2025
The Suns (21-20) are above .500 for the primary time since Christmas after they improved to 15-14 after beating the Denver Nuggets in Phoenix.
They now face the Cavs (35-6), who’ve one of the best file within the NBA.
“They only play as a cohesive unit,” Suns famous person Kevin Durant stated. “They all the time had dimension, which is vital to profitable video games.”
All-Star Donovan Mitchell leads a deep, high quality workforce coached by Kenny Atkinson. Cleveland has cut up its final 4 video games after driving a 12-game profitable streak.
“Nice workforce,” Beal stated. “I must deliver your security helmets. Very versatile.
“I simply play as a cohesive unit.”
“Nice workforce.”
Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal on the Phoenix Suns (21-20) towards one of the best Cleveland Cavaliers (35-6) within the NBA on Monday.
“You could deliver your security helmets.”
“I really feel like we will go into any recreation, we will play any workforce on this league.”… pic.twitter.com/iWhyF9gPjM
-Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) January 19, 2025
That is Phoenix’s likelihood to see the way it stacks up towards the NBA’s greatest at this level within the season. The Cavs can be with out beginning ahead Evan Mobley, who’s out with a proper calf damage.
“I really feel like we will go into any recreation, we will play any workforce on this league,” Durant stated. “It’s simpler stated than completed, however for probably the most half we play bodily, hold the ball in entrance of us, we’ll be advantageous.”
The Suns hope to get Beal again Monday after he rolled his ankle battling for a rebound with Atlanta Hawks winger David Roddy within the third quarter of Tuesday’s loss to start out the five-game highway journey. He left the sport with 5:53 left within the third, however Beal returned to the sport with 1:41 left within the quarter.
Beal performed 9 minutes, 37 seconds of the fourth quarter to complete with 11 factors on 3-of-9 taking pictures. He hasn’t performed since.
“It went properly, the whole lot went properly,” Beal stated. “I haven’t had any setbacks or something out of the atypical. All the photographs got here again anticipating them to be nothing loopy. Just a bit sprain.
“I hope so.”
Bradley Beal is questioning if he’ll play Monday towards the Cavaliers as a result of he missed Phoenix’s final two video games after rolling his left ankle in Tuesday’s loss at Atlanta.
“So long as I can transfer like Brad, I’m good.” #Suns pic.twitter.com/XgwGzWGdLr
-Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) January 19, 2025
The Suns are nonetheless with out Jusuf Nurkic, who’s out of Monday’s recreation with “a return to aggressive health.” The 7-footer was not with the workforce throughout Sunday’s observe/taking pictures as a result of he was again in Phoenix on the five-game highway journey with the flu.
The Suns end the five-game highway journey Wednesday towards Brooklyn.
“He is turned a nook, he is feeling a little bit higher,” Suns coach Mike Budenholzer stated earlier than Saturday’s win at Detroit about Nurkic. “We’ll see how the subsequent 24, 48 hours go and what one of the best plan is for him.”
Nick Richards supplied an enormous shock in his Suns debut on Saturday, posting 21 factors on 7-of-8 taking pictures and 11 rebounds in half-hour coming off the bench.
“Nick was unbelievable,” Suns guard Devin Booker stated after Saturday’s recreation. “He caught up, he completed. He was bouncing. For his first match, play in the precise area as properly. Get seems to be on this catch and end dunker. It was an enormous pickup for us. This was evident this night.
“He performed a peaceful man. He understood his position fairly shortly.”
“His power. His presence.”
Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal on Nick Richards’ debut within the Suns’ win Saturday in Detroit.
Posted 21 factors on 7 of 8 FGs and 11 rebounds. #Suns pic.twitter.com/ODIbHHrg5m
-Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) January 19, 2025
The Suns traded Josh Okogie and three future second-round picks to Charlotte for Richards and a future second-round choice.
“Simply his power, his presence,” Beal stated. “Lively on the defensive aspect, operating the sector was necessary, stood out rather a lot. Simply his exercise. Having the ability to modify photographs on the rim. I crushed the boards. I had some offensive rebounds, one thing we want. Simply be a pressure.
Richards joined the workforce on Friday, received a movie session and a crash course in what the Suns do on each ends of the court docket and attended a pregame exercise on Saturday earlier than placing in a productive effort in his first match with Phoenix.
“I used to be absolutely myself on a regular basis,” Richards stated. “I did not attempt to change something. Play my type of basketball.
Do you might have any ideas on the present state of the Suns? Contact Suns insider Duane Rankin at [email protected] or contact him at 480-810-5518. Comply with him on X, previously Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.
Help native journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com Immediately.
This text was initially printed on Arizona Republic: Bradley Beal questionable towards NBA’s greatest Cavs, Jusuf Nurkic nonetheless out for Suns
