Suns rule Bradley Beal out, Jusuf Nurkic available for Friday’s game vs. Thunder
Nov 14, 2024, 4:50 PM | Updated: Nov 15, 2024, 4:48 pm
Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal (3) shoots as Utah Jazz guard Johnny Juzang, left, defends during the second half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
(AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
The Phoenix Suns listed guard Bradley Beal out for Friday’s matchup at the Oklahoma City Thunder with a left calf strain.
Phoenix also gave questionable designations to reserve guard Grayson Allen (right hamstring soreness) and starting center Jusuf Nurkic (left ankle sprain), while superstar Kevin Durant remains out with a left calf strain suffered last week. Phoenix head coach Mike Budenholzer told reporters pregame that Nurkic would play, but Allen would not.
Beal missed Phoenix’s 127-104 loss to the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday with what the team called a left calf contusion at the time. Royce O’Neale and Ryan Dunn started in place of Beal and Durant.
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Beal has been banged up this season having missed three games and previously dealing with an elbow issue. When active, Beal has been a standout for the Suns with his defensive effort while scoring 17.8 points per game.
Allen also missed Wednesday’s game, while Nurkic played 21 minutes and scored three points with 11 rebounds. He sat out Monday against the Utah Jazz with left ankle soreness, and Mason Plumlee started.
Thunder injury report vs. Suns
Oklahoma City, the top seed in the Western Conference at 10-2, also has to manage key injuries to starters.
Its entire center rotation of Isaiah Hartenstein (fractured left hand), Chet Holmgren (right iliac wing fracture) and Jaylin Williams (right hamstring strain) is out. NBA All-Defense guard Alex Caruso is also listed as out with right hip soreness.
Without a center, Oklahoma City has been forced to play very small, although they have won their last two games doing so.
The Thunder’s starting lineup on Wednesday involved guards Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Lu Dort, Jalen Williams, Cason Wallace and Isaiah Joe. Gilgeous-Alexander was the tallest starter at 6-foot-6.
Friday’s matchup is an NBA Cup group stage game. The Suns are 1-0 in the NBA Cup so far.
The game will tip off at 6 p.m. on 98.7 and the Arizona Sports app.
