NBA insider reveals Kevin Durant & Bradley Beal's return date for Suns
Phoenix Suns fans have received major news regarding Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal's return to the court. The star duo has missed several games due to injuries, but the wait appears to be over for the two All-Stars.
NBA insider Shams Charania reports that both Durant and Bradley plan to return to the Suns lineup against the LA Lakers on Tuesday, as they take the 17-time NBA champions in another NBA Cup duel.
The Phoenix Suns were off to a remarkable start with KD and Beal on the court alongside Devin Booker. They posted an 8-1 record with the two stars healthy, but once they went down, Phoenix posted a 1-6 record, going from the top 3 in the Western Conference standings to the No. 8 seed.
The Suns are coming off a 138-122 loss to the New York Knicks on Wednesday, their fifth straight defeat after beating the Utah Jazz 120-112 on Nov. 12. Getting Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal ahead of a major duel against the Lakers could do wonders for the Suns, who already showed that are a dangerous opponent when healthy.
After a five-day hiatus, they are fresh to face a Lakers squad that was dominated by the Denver Nuggets 127-102 on Saturday.
What happened to Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal?
On Nov. 9, Kevin Durant starred in grim news for the Phoenix Suns. When they were tied for the top spot in the West with the OKC Thunder (8-1), the Suns learned that KD suffered a calf injury during a 114-113 win over the Dallas Mavericks. Durant didn't show signs of damage during the game, as he even played 37 minutes and stayed on the court until the final whistle.
He was expected to miss a couple of weeks and the day is about to arrive.
Three days after the KD news, Bradley Beal suffered a calf injury too on Nov. 12 against the Utah Jazz.
Before picking up his injury, Kevin Durant was averaging 27.6 points and 6.6 rebounds per game while shooting 55.3% from the field and 42.9% from deep. Beal is averaging 17.8 ppg, 4.0 rpg and 3.7 apg.
Following a disappointing first-round exit in the 2024 NBA playoffs, Phoenix is ready to bounce back and challenge for the championship. If their stars manage to get healthy, this team could create a lot of issues for opponents.