In just his second game back from a two-week absence due to an ankle injury, Phoenix Suns star Bradley Beal showed signs of life. In 35 minutes, the 6-foot-4 guard scored 25 points on 10-of-13 shooting to complement Kevin Durant's 31 points and Devin Booker's 21-point, five-assist evening as the Suns beat the Magic, 112-107.
Following the win, Durant gave some perspective about the Suns' growing connection with Beal as he eases himself back onto the court.
“I mean, every game he's played in, there's been a minute restriction,” Durant said. “He's been in and out of the game… The more and more he plays, the more confidence we get as a group.”
Beal's struggle with injuries is the main reason why the Big Three haven't taken off the way the Suns envisioned it to when they traded for the three-time All-Star from the Washington Wizards this season. The 30-year-old has appeared in just eight games so far and is still slowly finding his rhythm.
Beal missed the first seven games of the campaign with a back injury. He made his Suns debut on November 8th and played three games before going back on the sidelines due to the back issue. Upon recovering from that injury, Beal played in three games before he suffered an ankle injury that kept him out for two weeks.
Beal has returned since and the Suns are beginning to pick up some momentum with their three stars healthy. The trio has only played in 129 possessions together. But they have been deadly in that small sample. Per Cleaning the Glass, Phoenix has an efficiency differential of +25.0 and score 135.7 points per 100 possessions when all three are on the floor.
It's safe to say that the Suns are going to be a problem when Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal are on the court together.