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The Phoenix Suns will continue to mount their comeback without the services of Bradley Beal on Tuesday, Nov. 21, when they play the Portland Trail Blazers at the Footprint Arena as part of their NBA In-Season Tournament. They come off a rich three-win streak that has improved their record to 7-6. As for their In-Season standings, Phoenix has won a game and lost another. Now, they have a chance to notch up another win and climb up the ladder.
However, they will have to do it without Beal, who has been sidelined for a few weeks following his recurring back injury. According to NBA insider Shams Charania, the guard has also been dealing with "nerve irritation from his back down to his legs." He will be re-evaluated after three weeks.
The Suns will have Devin Booker available to play on Tuesday as he was not mentioned in the team's updated injury list ahead of the matchup.
The Phoenix Suns are back to winning ways, but they will need their superstars to be healthy
Both Devin Booker and Bradley Beal are key figures for Phoenix this season as they aim to win their maiden NBA championship. In the two games Booker has played this season, he has looked lethal with 28.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 9.6 assists. Beal has played just three games and is averaging 17.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists.
A three-time All-Star, Beal was acquired by the Suns from the Washington Wizards in a blockbuster trade this summer to form a mammoth Big Three alongside Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. He was a force playing all 82 games in both the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons, but with injuries hindering his progress, he has only played 60 games or less in each of the last four editions.
The concern for the Suns' think-tank will be that neither player has spent time together on the floor due to injuries. With the season up and running, they will hope to have all three superstars spend enough time on the floor to build that much-needed chemistry and cohesion.
Without Beal in the starting lineup, the Suns have had to rely on Eric Gordon, Grayson Allen, and Josh Okogie to chip in with valuable contributions. With the teams in the West already making a case early on in the season, Phoenix will need to have their stars fully healthy.
