As soon as the winning high tide hits, another injury takes place, this time to Phoenix Suns shooting guard Bradley Beal. He's been labeled as doubtful for Thursday's game against the Washington Wizards with a left ankle sprain. If he misses the contest, it will be his 11th absence of the season.
Injuries have bitten Phoenix all season, with both Kevin Durant and Devin Booker picking up significant injuries. Despite picking up the injury, Beal managed to play through it. He posted 11 points, four rebounds, three assists, and a steal in 28 minutes off the bench.
Throughout the game, there were moments when the ankle was bothering him. Typical explosive plays he would make just weren't there. He explains to AZCentral's Duane Rankin postgame that he did his best to play through. “Wasn't a good tweak, but I just pushed through it and did the best I could do to finish,” Beal said.
This injury occurring on the first game of a five-game road trip isn't a welcoming sight for Suns fans. After all, the Suns benched Beal but he has since that game, where he posted 25 points on over 55% shooting. Now, there's lingering uncertainty about his availability for the remainder of the road trip.
Will Bradley Beal be available for the Suns on the road trip?
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There's no official diagnosis as of writing this. However, playing on a sprained ankle is a recipe for disaster. Plus, the Phoenix bench has been elite with Beal on it. Other teams haven't found an answer to stop him. If they do stop him, then Durant and Booker go off for big-scoring performances.
However, rookie Ryan Dunn has been starting in Beal's place and has been producing quite effectively. Same with rookie center Oso Ighodaro. Not to mention, the Suns just acquired Nick Richards for Josh Okogie on Wednesday. That adds some much-needed depth across the roster.
Still, losing a top scorer only makes matters worse for Phoenix. They've been trying to mesh all season but it feels like one injury after another. The 17.5 points per game scorer might have to take an extended rest to nurse that sprained ankle. Luckily though, Phoenix is playing a low Wizards team.
However, this is the NBA. Any team can win on any given night. Look at when Phoenix played the Charlotte Hornets in Charlotte. They lost that game, despite the Hornets only having seven wins. That loss was also with a full roster. No matter what, the Suns will hope that Beal comes back sooner rather than later during the road trip.