How the calendar shapes out heading into Christmas.
After a six-day hiatus, Phoenix Suns basketball is back today against the Lakers. Bradley Beal and Kevin Durant are making their anticipated returns after missing five and seven games, respectively. Their absences are the main reasons the Suns have dropped from a top seed to a play-in one in the standings.
While the Valley has some work to do to get back to where they were before the injuries, the season is still young. Here’s how the schedule is looking until Christmas:
Finishing the Home Stand with KD and Beal
- Tuesday, November 26th: vs. Los Angeles Lakers, Emirates NBA Cup Game
- Wednesday, November 27th: vs. Brooklyn Nets
- Saturday, November 30th: vs. Golden State Warriors
- Tuesday, December 3rd: vs. San Antonio Spurs, Emirates NBA Cup Game
The Valley and Los Angeles split two contests in October, with both teams making large comebacks in both games to take the victory. Since Durant has been with the Suns, every game these teams play has been close, it will be no surprise if the same happens again.
Despite splitting the season series a year ago with Brooklyn, Phoenix should be able to take care of business against the Nets. Both Golden State and San Antonio may present trouble, however. The Warriors present defensive problems for the Suns, with no one ideal to put on Steph Curry, and last year against the Suns, with and without Victor Wembanyama in the lineup, the Spurs won the season series. The Spurs are one of the most improved teams record-wise from a season ago so far, and the addition of former Sun Chris Paul has added more organization to a young team.
Road Trip Across the Country
- Thursday, December 5th: @ New Orleans Pelicans
- Saturday, December 7th: @ Miami Heat
- Sunday, December 8th: @ Orlando Magic
Zion Williamson presumably will be out still when the Valley heads down to The Big Easy. New Orleans is looking like last season’s version of the Memphis Grizzlies, a team underperforming mainly because they’re decimated by injury.
While the game against New Orleans is the first in the season series, the contests against Miami and Orlando are the last. Phoenix beat the Heat on November 6th in a nail-biter and suffered a defeat to Orlando on November 18. Paolo Banchero is expected to be back for the Magic by then, he’s been out since October.
Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
Emirates NBA Cup Performance Part of the Schedule
From December 9th to 17th, the Suns’ schedule will be based on their play in their remaining Emirates NBA Cup Games.
They’re currently 1-1 in the Cup with two games remaining in draw play. If they don’t qualify for the knockout rounds, they’ll play regular-season games against an unknown opponent.
For more on the Emirates NBA Cup, visit: https://www.nba.com/nba-cup/2024
Holiday Hoops
- Thursday, December 19th: vs. Indiana Pacers
- Saturday, December 21st: vs. Detroit Pistons
- Monday, December 23rd: @ Denver Nuggets
- Wednesday, December 25th: vs. Denver Nuggets
Despite Devin Booker’s 62, the Valley lost a nail-biter to Indiana in last season’s final matchup. The Suns will also get their first look at a revamped Pistons team, currently in the top-8 in the East and have improved from a season ago with the additions of Malik Beasley, Tobias Harris, and Tim Hardaway Jr.
The Nuggets and Suns will play on Christmas for the second time in three seasons. Two years ago it was in Denver, this time, at the Footprint Center. Phoenix will look to pick up its first win on Christmas since 2009.
As the Suns embark on this critical stretch of games, staying healthy and managing minutes will be the keys to success. With Beal and Durant back in the lineup, the Valley has an opportunity to reclaim its position among the league’s elite. The challenges ahead are significant, from tough opponents like the Lakers and Nuggets to navigating the unpredictability of the Emirates NBA Cup schedule.
But with the season still young, there’s plenty of time for the Suns to build momentum and establish themselves as true contenders. It starts tonight. Let’s see if Phoenix can rise.