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The Phoenix Suns will be getting massive reinforcements back for their NBA Cup showdown with the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night when Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal return from their respective calf injuries, according to Shams Charania of ESPN.
While Durant has missed the Suns' last seven games, Beal has missed the team's last five games. Both All-Star talents have been dealing with left calf strains.
In recent days, there had been a growing sense of optimism that Durant and Beal would be making their returns this upcoming week. Now, the Suns will be whole again and look to regain their lost championship form.
These two stars returning to the court for Phoenix could not have come at a better time. Not only will Tuesday night's game be a last-ditch effort for the Suns to keep their NBA Cup hopes alive, but the team has really struggled in the absences of Durant and Beal.
After starting the season 9-2 and sitting at the top of the Western Conference, the Suns are now just 9-7 after losing six of their last seven games, including five straight. The team's lone win was a 120-112 victory on the road against the Utah Jazz. With a 9-7 record, the Suns have gone from first place to eighth in the Western Conference standings. This has also resulted in the Suns falling in the NBA power rankings.
Prior to dealing with his injured calf, Durant was among the best in the league to begin the 2024-25 season. In a total of nine games in which the Suns have posted an 8-1 record, the two-time NBA Finals MVP has averaged 27.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game while shooting 55.3 percent from the floor and 42.9 percent from three-point range.
As a result of his heroics on the court, Durant found himself receiving early consideration in the league's MVP conversation. His absence and the Suns' fall from the top of the standings without him on the court prove how valuable of a player Durant truly is in Phoenix.
As for Beal, he has played in nine games, averaging 17.8 points and 3.7 assists per game while shooting 47.5 percent from the floor and 38.3 percent from three-point range. While Beal is still adjusting to his role as the third star alongside Durant and Devin Booker after being the Washington Wizards' featured star for years, he is still a pivotal part of what the Suns are trying to accomplish. With Beal on the court, Phoenix has gone 7-2 this season.
The Suns are currently 1-1 in the group stage of NBA Cup play and will take on the Lakers, who are 2-0 in group play. Los Angeles would clinch West Group B with a win over Phoenix on Tuesday.
