Suns vs. Warriors Tuesday NBA injury report, odds, props: Bradley Beal, Draymond Green expected out; Devin Booker should play in opener
Phoenix opens its season at Golden State on Tuesday night.
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NBA fans will have to wait at least a few more days to see the Phoenix Suns' latest attempt at a superteam of Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal and Devin Booker. Beal, acquired in a trade this summer from Washington, is not expected to play in the season opener Tuesday night at Golden State and Booker is questionable. That news has pushed the SportsLine consensus from Warriors -1 to -3, even though the Warriors will be without Draymond Green.
Both Beal (back) and Booker (toe) practiced Monday but multiple reports indicate that the Suns will play it cautious with Beal due to his recent injury history and sit him until at least Thursday's game against the Lakers (who also had eyes for Beal). Jordan Goodwin and Grayson Allen would be due for extra reps if Beal sits. Booker is expected to play.
Durant, Beal and Booker all rank in the top 10 in the NBA in points per game over the past five seasons. The 2017 and '18 Warriors are the only two NBA championship teams that had three players who averaged at least 20 points in the regular season: Durant, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.
Durant is 55 points shy of moving past Hakeem Olajuwon for 12th on the NBA's all-time scoring list. Durant made history last year by becoming the first player to shoot at least 55% from the field, 40% from deep and 90% from the free throw line while playing in at least half of his team's games. He is set at over/under 31.5 points tonight. Frank Vogel, who led the Lakers to the 2020 NBA title in the bubble, has taken over as Phoenix coach.
Golden State's Green -- a big reason why Durant left Golden State in the first place, as they weren't getting along -- sustained a left ankle sprain during an offseason workout and was forced to miss the entire preseason. He was cleared for 5-on-5 work over the weekend but will miss the opener.
Chris Paul will make his Warriors debut against his former Suns team. Paul was part of the package sent to Washington for Beal, and was then flipped by the Wizards to the Warriors. Paul and Curry rank fifth and sixth, respectively, in career points among active players. Curry averaged 29.4 points per game last season and is set at 30.5 tonight. The Warriors were downright bad on the road last season, but went 33-8 at home. They ranked in the top three in opponents' field goal percentage, opponents' 3-point percentage and defensive rating at the Chase Center.
This is the first time these teams will open the season against one another since the 2012-13 campaign. The Suns won last season's series 3-1.
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