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USA Today via Reuters

USA Today via Reuters

On Friday, Phoenix Suns’ Bradley Beal sustained an ankle sprain in the first quarter of the Knicks game. Helped back to the locker room, they announced Beal would not return for the remainder of the game. He landed hard on Donte DiVincenzo’s foot after attempting a 3-pointer.

It was clear then that the injury-prone 3x All-Star would miss a few weeks of game time. The latest injury report reveals Beal will indeed be out for the next two weeks, at the end of which he will be re-evaluated.

Despite the injury, Beal landed his free throw before leaving the arena. The Suns just got their versatile guard back and from the performances so far, everybody was looking forward to seeing him on the floor longer. Playing six games so far, he’s averaging 14.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.2 assists. But injuries have no such concerns.

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The Big 3 are yet to make an impact as such on the floor. When Mat Ishbia gave the thumbs up to acquire All-Star Bradley Beal and bring in Frank Vogel, it was in the hopes of getting a title. And the trio of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Beal were his trident.

Can the Suns manage without a complete Big 3?

Just barely hanging there, Pheonix ranks 10th in the Western Conference with a 14-12 record. Just two losses away from the Golden State Warriors, it certainly hasn’t been easy for the team to push through. While Durant has been a constant and even Booker has made his mark this season, Beal’s absence sticks out like a sore thumb.

Read More: “It’s a Gut Punch”: Bradley Beal’s Distressing Injury Worsens 10th Seeded Suns’ Scenario According to 6’10″ NBA Star

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His time with the Wizards was proof of this. When he was on the court, the Beal-Wall duo offered a lethal combination. But John Wall was in no better situation when it came to being injury-prone. With the Wizards’ stars tending to be injured, the kind of success Washington hoped to achieve didn’t exactly work out.

This season was supposed to be all about the dominance of the Phoenix Suns. There is dominance alright, just not the kind they or the Suns fans were looking for. With Eric Gordon and Grayson Allen seeing more game time in Beal’s absence, we can continue to expect the same going forward. Or at least, until Bradley Beal’s return looks more probable.

As for whether the Phoenix Suns will be able to manage; an efficient role player can take the edge off. While not packing the same skill set as Bradley Beal, they might at least be able to see a much better improvement from their current status.

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