NBA fans have been on stop-start mode with the Phoenix Suns throughout the year. The team will stack five or six wins in a row and then be catapulted into the championship conversation. Though, a home loss to the Houston Rockets abruptly knocks everyone right off the bandwagon and conjures up skepticism once again. One of the reasons for these inconsistencies is because the Suns have literally been in stop-start mode themselves.
Injuries have prevented Phoenix's star trio of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal from playing a large chunk of the season together. The chemistry is visibly progressing, as is reflected by the eye test and the standings (37-26, sixth place), but many people need to see more continuity before confidently declaring this group a true contender in the West.
Saturday's home game versus the Boston Celtics (48-14) is a golden opportunity for the big three to gel together in a prime-time clash against top-tier competition. Durant and Beal are penciled in for tip-off, but Booker has missed the team's last three games with a sprained ankle. Will that streak end following the latest injury update?
Fans headed to the Footprint Center and those watching at home eagerly want to know if Devin Booker will be suiting up for the Suns against the Celtics tonight.
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Suns' Devin Booker ruled out after being upgraded earlier
The 2022 All-NBA First-Team selection was listed as questionable earlier in the day but is now officially out for the inter-conference battle, per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Booker was initially considered doubtful, so his temporary upgrade is somewhat positive news. A return should be imminent.
The 27-year-old has already missed 13 games this season, but he has been one of the best guards in the league when on the court. Booker is scoring 27.5 points on 49.4 percent shooting while dishing out 6.8 assists per contest. It is plausible to think that he could supplant Kevin Durant as “The Guy” on the Suns when the year is over.
The torch has not been passed quite yet, though, as both stars remain the squad's co-leaders with Bradley Beal providing additional All-Star firepower. Phoenix beat the defending champion Denver Nuggets on the road this past Tuesday without Booker, so it has the ability to take down a Celtics squad that just lost two in a row for the first time since early-November.
That is obviously not what head coach Frank Vogel or The Desert wanted to see on Saturday, though. Winning without a top player gives a team's supporting cast crucial experience and confidence, but the Suns' core must continue to build trust. They will be tasked with leading this franchise through a bunched-up Western Conference in the playoffs, and a meeting with the No. 1 squad in the NBA (record-wise) would have been good practice.
Regardless, Phoenix must gear up for another shorthanded matchup. Action starts at 8:30 p.m. ET.
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