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Newly acquired Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal might not be available for his team’s season-opening game against the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night. Beal is reportedly suffering from a stiff back, which is why the Suns could keep him sidelined. “Big Panda” last saw action for the Suns on Oct. 16 in a preseason game against the Portland Trail Blazers. He was held out on Thursday night in Phoenix’s final preparation game.
The injury is reportedly nothing serious. Phoenix, though, wants him to be 100% healthy before making his debut for the Suns. Beal practiced with his teammates on Monday and later told the media that he felt “good.” He also said that he intends to play in the season opener but could be held out for extra cautionary measures.
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Bradley Beal is expected to play a big role for the Phoenix Suns this season. The team no longer has Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton in the lineup. Beal will have a fair share of the scoring burden alongside Kevin Durant and Devin Booker.
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New Suns coach Frank Vogel also sees Beal helping with the playmaking chores. Vogel doesn’t have a pure point guard in his lineup following the “CP3” trade to the Washington Wizards. Booker will handle a lot of the quarterbacking duties while “Big Panda” will need to do his share on that end.
The injury, although reportedly minor, is something that could worry Suns fans. Beal has not played more than 60 games since the 2018-19 season when he played the full 82-game schedule. Over the last two seasons, he has played a total of 90 games.
Eric Gordon could take Bradley Beal’s spot in the starting lineup against the Golden State Warriors
During the preseason, Frank Vogel often used Eric Gordon when Bradley Beal was unavailable. The trend could continue on opening night. Vogel’s starting five could be Jusuf Nurkic, Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Grayson Allen and Gordon.
The good thing for the Suns is Gordon might be more ready than anyone on the roster. He just had a superb campaign for the Bahamas in the Olympic Qualifying tournament where they went unbeaten in three games. Together with Buddy Hield and Deandre Ayton, they led their country to a three-game winning streak, including a big win over Argentina.
If Eric Gordon gets the nod over the injured Bradley Beal, the Phoenix Suns will feel confident about their chances against the Golden State Warriors.
