Suns guard Bradley Beal is missing his fourth straight game due to a right ankle sprain. The Suns play the Mavs, Luka Doncic and Kyrie.
The Phoenix Suns face the Dallas Mavericks on Christmas Day at 8:30 p.m. The game will be televised by ESPN.
Phoenix, which has guard Devin Booker, forward Kevin Durant and guard Bradley Beal, will be without the third star due to his right ankle sprain suffered Dec. 15 against the New York Knicks, coach Frank Vogel said at Sunday’s practice.
“If he gets healthier sooner, he’ll be back sooner,” said Vogel, who said he expects Beal to return sometime in January.
The Suns sent a health official update on Beal, who previously missed 17 of the Suns’ first 20 games due to a back issue, Dec. 18 and said he would be re-evaluated in two weeks.
Beal can return before that date and hinted he could play on Christmas in an interview posted Saturday by ESPN reporter Marc Spears on Andscape, which highlights Black culture and trends.
“I’m going to try to ramp this thing up,” Beal said. “In the back of my head, I pray I’m ready for Christmas because my boys love to watch me play…And I’m happy that I have an opportunity to be able to play on Christmas. There’s no better feeling, no better gift than that.”
Unfortunately for Beal, his kids and Suns fans, he will not be able to give them the gift of playing at Footprint Center. The Suns are expected to return wing Josh Okogie, who has missed five games due to a right hip strain, according to Vogel.
Center Jusuf Nurkic, who missed his first game of the season Friday to personal reasons, remains away from the team and will rejoin them Tuesday, according to Suns PR.
The Suns had practice Sunday and discussed their injury updates to wing Josh Okogie (right hip strain) and guard Eric Gordon, who is probable with a “hip issue.”
Gordon responded to comments about his shooting numbers. He voiced frustration in quotes shared by Chris Haynes on Bleacher Report following the Suns’ 120-105 loss to the Sacramento Kings Friday, their eighth defeat in 11 games.
“I came here to win, that’s just my level of focus,” Gordon said.
“Things have been said within the group. Coach put an emphasis on it. I said that a couple days ago. … I just know how I am. I’m here to win, to play winning basketball.”
Bradley Beal reflects on his December 15th ankle injury, as Kevin Durant and Devin Booker tend to the Suns’ early-season storm.
Booker said the Suns did not take any offense to Gordon’s comments.
“He’s been around [the NBA] a long time,” Booker said, “and he’s earned that respect.”
Phoenix appears to have the fourth-best odds to win an NBA championship this year, per FanDuel. The Suns are 14-14, good for 10th in the West, and need to pick up their pace and 3-point shooting to find a rhythm offensively. Phoenix is No. 16 in offensive efficiency even though Booker and Durant have each been on the floor for seven of the team’s last nine games.
The Suns lost to the Dallas Mavericks in Game 7 of the 2022 Western Conference semifinals at home, 123-90.