The Phoenix Suns have had a rough start to their season as they are missing vital players like Devin Booker and Bradley Beal due to injuries. As a result, the team has started off to an underwhelming 2-4 record. While it is a major concern for the Suns to miss out on players after creating such a great lineup.
However, Kevin Durant isn’t frustrated rather he is bothered about Booker and Beal’s injuries. “I know how much these dudes want to play,” Durant said on Saturday. “They hate just being on the sidelines. We don’t want them to rush. We don’t want them to feel like there’s pressure for them to come back because we lost a couple of games.”
The Suns are on a three-game losing streak after recently falling to the Philadelphia 76ers and back-to-back losses against the San Antonio Spurs.
Durant feels that the organisation is prioritizing the health of Booker and Beal even if it means that the Suns face early difficulties. Their health is more important than everything for them at this point. “We want them to be 100% healthy for the rest of the season so it’s more important now that you continue to ramp yourself up,” he said.
Kevin Durant has logged the most minutes on the Suns, playing for a total of 216 minutes over six games. Grayson Allen trails him with 184 minutes, Eric Gordon with 182, Josh Okogie with 156, and Jusuf Nurkic with 150.
The only fit member of the ‘Big Three’, Durant has shouldered the offensive burden. He is currently averaging 28 points per game, head and shoulders above every other Suns player. Eric Gordon, who is averaging only 14.3 points per game is the second-highest scorer for them.
Despite playing only 72 minutes of play, Booker has managed to average 31.5 points per game during that span. He is suffering from an ankle injury while Beal is down with a back issue and hasn’t featured for a single game.
Durant shares that with their two superstars the approach of the Phoenix Suns is very simply. They look to give their best in every possession. “We just play hard every possession,” Durant said on Saturday after the Suns lost to the 76ers. “And I just leave it at that, to be honest. We play hard, we’re gonna put ourselves in a position to win every basketball game, no matter who’s on the floor.”
Their primary weakness this season is their lack of depth and with Booker and Beal out it is clear that they are lacking in that aspect. Most of the supporting cast are all earning minimum salaries while their trio are all on substantial big contracts.
Durant is excited to see how the Phoenix Suns perform when they have a full-strength roster. “I’m excited for our whole team, look forward to getting (Beal) back, to getting him healthy,” he concluded.
