After the Phoenix Suns lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder on November 12, Bradley Beal issued a concerning statement about his back injury.
Beal told reporters that his back is still “tight.”
Beal missed the first seven games of the season with his back injury. He has played in three games this season, averaging 17.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists while shooting 39.1% from the field, 33.3% from beyond the arc and 68.8% from the free-throw line.
The Suns are 1-2 with Beal in the lineup. They beat the Chicago Bulls but have lost to the Los Angeles Lakers and Thunder. Phoenix is 4-6 on the season.
“I felt like our execution was better. Shots just didn’t fall,” Suns head coach Frank Vogel said after the Thunder game. “Brad’s battling through his back injury and trying to get his legs under him. KD has been carrying a heavy load for us all season. Played every game and pretty big minutes.”
The Thunder outscored the Suns 31-13 in the fourth quarter, holding Phoenix without a field goal for the final 6:42.
“We can’t win games that way,” Kevin Durant said. “If you don’t make shots you can’t win. And they made shots.”
The Suns acquired Beal from the Washington Wizards this past offseason in a blockbuster trade. Thus far, the trade hasn’t paid dividends for Phoenix.
Durant and Beal have to play at a high level for the Suns to win games since Devin Booker is still out with a calf injury. Booker has only played in two games this season.
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