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Phoenix Suns will have their full roster healthy, aside from guard Damion Lee (meniscus) on Thursday on the road versus their Pacific Division rivals, LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the Los Angeles Lakers.
For the curious:
Damion Lee (knee) is rehabbing the injury, working his way back, but is still a ways away from returning as the hope is he'll be back near the end of the regular season. #Suns
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) January 10, 2024
AZCentral.com's Duane Rankin said the Suns will have, along with their Big 3, center Bol Bol (ankle), forward Nassir Little (knee) and two-way contract center piece Udoka Azubuike (illness) available for the contest.
The Suns are coming off a 138-111 defeat to the Clippers Monday. Phoenix allowed a 10-2 and then a 24-4 run in the fourth quarter, in which it has been among the worst teams statistically in the 2023-24 NBA season.
The Suns were led in scoring by forward Kevin Durant, who has been the healthiest member of their superstar trio. Durant is averaging 29.6 points this season and is the most consistent member of the trio including Devin Booker (26.1 PPG, 7.8 APG, 4.8 RPG) and Bradley Beal (16.4 PPG, 3.8 APG, 3.8 RPG). Durant is shooting above 50 percent from the field and 45 percent (he leads the league in 3-point percentage, 47.4) from beyond the arc, while Beal and Booker are shooting (48.0, 30.2 for Bradley Beal and 47.9, 37.9 for Book).
Durant finished with 30 points, including a 10-of-17 (3-of-6) shooting clip, with 20 first-half points.
Booker, who is the team's defacto point guard, had 20 points and five assists but to six turnovers.
Durant was quoted in a story by FOX Sports' Melissa Rohlin to be fully invested in the Suns.
“I don't want to get traded,” he said.
Durant's frustrations were reportedly something that led to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski to mention him specifically before the Suns played the Dallas Mavericks Dec. 25.
“I'm not frustrated because Brad was injured. I wasn't frustrated because of the role players on the team. That s— really was ignorant to me, you know what I'm saying?” the Suns star said. “It's like, yeah, we lose a game – you think I'm supposed to be happy after we lose a game? You know what I'm saying? I'm not frustrated with the whole situation. I may be frustrated at the moment, at a bad play or a tough stretch. But nah, I enjoy the grind.”
Booker, Beal and Durant have been on the floor together for seven games.
