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Is Kevin Durant Playing Tonight? Suns Injury Report Emerges Ahead of Pelicans Clash

Published 04/07/2024, 10:18 AM EDT

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USA Today via Reuters

The Phoenix Suns will host the New Orleans Pelicans at the Footprint Center tonight. The match arrives as an especially important one for both teams on the lookout for playoffs. Seeded 6th and 7th in the Western Conference respectively, the Suns are just ahead by 2 games and a loss could easily have the Pelicans catch up, thus, threatening their playoff position.

With that in place, player availability takes center stage, hours ahead of the clash. And with the Suns’ recently released report, fans can breathe a sigh of relief; courtesy of a healthy roster but with 1 exception.

Suns boast a clean Injury Report

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As the Suns prepare to face the Pelicans, lead Suns’ writer and Journalist, Gerald Bourguet shared that the almost whole of the Suns’ roster is fit to play against the Pelicans. “No one on the Suns injury report,” he confirmed; meaning, the superstar forward is also available to play. Durant has missed 7 games this season with the latest one on Jan 5th due to hamstring soreness. Since then, he has played every game, bringing the average to 27.4 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 5.2.

However, away from the fortunate announcement, the Suns will be missing one of their shooting guard, Damion Lee, who continues to be ‘out’ due to knee trouble.

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The last time the Suns saw Damion Lee on court was during the final games of the team’s 2022-23 season. The shooting guard suffered a knee injury during a training camp and was thus obliged to sit out indefinitely. In the aftermath of which, the Suns have continued on with the persisting season without his presence and will continue to do so at least until the end of the regular season. Until then, Kevin Durant and Co. will look to solidify their position for the playoffs and hopefully beyond.

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Predicted Lineups: Suns vs Pelicans

Phoenix Suns have won 7 games out of their last 10 and are on a 3-game win streak. They boast a good home record winning 26 games out of 47 games. in the course, the team has averaged 116.6 points per game and conceded points at an average of 113.5 per game which is 15th overall in the league. The stats speak volumes about how balanced a team they have been this season. Continuing the momentum forward could be Kevin Durant, Jusuf Nurkic, Bradley Beal, Grayson Allen, and Devin Booker.

New Orleans Pelicans, on the other hand, have lost 4 matches in a row and won 4 out of their last 10. Their recent form has been worrisome with the playoffs nearing. Pelicans have scored points at an average of 115.0 points per game which is 13th overall in the league with Brandon Ingram being their top scorer. And they have conceded points at an average of 110.6 which is 8th overall in the league. They have been the balanced side as well this season but have failed to fire up lately. Helping the team bounce back could be Zion Williamson, Trey Williams III, Herb Jones, CJ McCollum, and Naji Marshall.

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The last time the two went against each other, the night ended in favor of the Suns, 111-124. With Durant and the rest of the players healthy Suns will be looking forward to extending their agreeable run. However, the Pelicans will be looking forward to ending their losing streak and improving their playoff chances.

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Written by:

Dhanraj Majithia

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Dhanraj is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports. Fueled by the legendary Kobe Bryant's Mamba Mentality, Dhanraj weaves his passion for the game with in-depth analysis, sharpened by his experience as a state-level shooting guard. His are of expertise lies in breaking down trade reports and their implications for fans.
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Edited by:

Shivatmika Manvi