The Phoenix Suns are heading into their Tuesday night matchup against longtime rival Los Angeles Lakers with a chance to advance to the semifinals of the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament, booking a spot in Las Vegas for the competition's final four. With Bradley Beal out due to a back injury, the Suns will be in need of big performances from their role players, including Eric Gordon, whose status for their quarterfinals matchup remains up in the air.
Eric Gordon injury status vs. Lakers
Eric Gordon missed the Suns' most recent game, a 116-109 win over the Memphis Grizzlies, due to a knee injury. That, however, doesn't seem to portend any sort of long-term problem for the veteran guard, as that game was the second of a back-to-back set. However, the Suns are proceeding with caution with regards to Gordon's injury status, as they currently have him listed on the injury report as questionable due to a knee contusion.
With the Suns having two full days of rest in between games, one would think that Gordon will be available in an all-important NBA In-Season Tournament matchup against the Lakers. After all, it doesn't seem like the injuries that have kept Gordon out in the two games he missed this season lingered.
On November 12, Eric Gordon missed the Suns' game against the Oklahoma City Thunder due to left shoulder soreness, and Phoenix ended up losing that contest, 111-99. Given the fact that the injuries that have kept him out are unrelated, the 34-year old shooting guard, barring an unforeseen turn, should be up and running on Tuesday night.
The Suns will be in need of Gordon's marksmanship as they try to get their first win over the Lakers in three tries this season. In two games against the Lakers in 2023, the veteran guard averaged 14 points on 44 percent shooting from the field and 42 percent from deep. Given the Suns' need for size when guarding the Lakers, the 34-year old may end up coming off the bench if he suits up.
If Gordon is unavailable, expect there to be more minutes for Jordan Goodwin, Keita Bates-Diop, and Yuta Watanabe, while Grayson Allen will have to shoulder more responsibilities.