Is he leaving? Is he staying? There were a lot of questions surrounding Kevin Durant and his future ahead of the trade deadline this year. But February 6th came and went with no change in Durant’s association with the Phoenix Suns. In fact, all it did was fuel a narrative of a toxic dressing room in Phoenix.
And things didn’t go too well for the Suns in their first game after the All-Star break either. The San Antonio Spurs beat them soundly, 120-109. So now, it’s fair to assume that KD and Co. will have a chip on their shoulder as they face down the Chicago Bulls next and they’ll love to put all the drama behind them by securing a victory in the Bulls’ backyard. So let’s see who’ll be playing for them.
Phoenix Suns vs Chicago Bulls Injury Report – will Kevin Durant be playing tonight?
Good news for Phoenix fans on the injury front. The Suns have only named two players in their injury report for the Chicago Bulls game. You know what’s even better? Neither of the two players is named Kevin Durant. So for now, it’s safe to say that chances are high that KD will be playing against the Bulls.
Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) points to his teammate after he makes a three pointer during the second quarter of the game against the Memphis Grizzlies at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images
As for the players OUT of the game—Jalen Bridges and Cody Martin.
Bridges will miss the game owing to his two-way contract that sees him playing in the G-League. On the other hand, Caleb Martin’s brother, Cody, will miss the game because of a sports hernia. Martin has yet to make his debut for the Suns after they acquired him this season. And we have no clear timeline for his return.
In stark contrast to the Suns, the Chicago Bulls have a virtual laundry list of injured players heading into their upcoming game. G-League players E.J. Liddell, Emanuel Miller, and Jahmir Young are OUT of the Suns game owing to their two-way contracts. Patrick Williams and Jalen Smith are also OUT of the game.
Smith suffered a concussion in the Bulls’ last game against the New York Knicks. He has entered concussion protocols and the earliest you Bulls fans can expect him to return is Monday. Whereas, Williams recovers from tendinosis in his right quadriceps. He received plasma injections to treat this ailment, but he’ll still be sidelined for the next 2 weeks.
The duo of Josh Giddey and Nikola Vucevic also find themselves on the injury report for the Suns game. They’re both listed as PROBABLE. However, it is likely that they’ll play against Phoenix. We cannot say the same for Ayo Dosunmu, who’s marked QUESTIONABLE on the report with a sore right shoulder. However, the Bulls are considering his availability from day to day.
Now that we know the injuries both teams are dealing with, let’s take a look at the lineups we may see on the court tonight.
Phoenix Suns vs Chicago Bulls – predicted starting lineups and depth chart
The Phoenix Suns originally had Devin Booker and Bradley Beal listed on an earlier injury report. But they seem to have regained fitness just in time for the Bulls game. And having these two back in the fold is a huge boost for the Suns, especially considering how inconsistent they’ve been this season.
They did string together a 7-game winning streak when the season began. However, they haven’t come close to repeating that run of form since. So now that we’re in the latter half of the season, Kevin Durant and his teammates will love to get a good run of wins going. Here’s the lineup they may use to that end:
POSITION
STARTER
2nd UNIT
3rd UNIT
PG
Tyus Jones
Devin Booker
TyTy Washington Jr,
SG
Devin Booker
Bradley Beal
Grayson Allen
SF
Royce O’Neale
Grayson Allen
Bradley Beal
PF
Kevin Durant
Bol Bol
Ryan Dunn
C
Nick Richards
Mason Plumlee
Oso Ighodaro
The Chicago Bulls are entering this game massively shorthanded. On the other hand, Phoenix may be inconsistent, but the likes of Kevin Durant and Devin Booker still make them extremely formidable foes.
Chicago’s fanbase will be praying that starters Vucevic and Giddey recover in time. We’ll assume they will play as we look at a possible lineup for the Bulls tonight:
POSITION
STARTER
2nd UNIT
3rd UNIT
PG
Josh Giddey (DD)
Tre Jones
Lonzo Ball
SG
Lonzo Ball
Kevin Huerter
Ayo Dosunmu (DD)
SF
Coby White
Ayo Dosunmu (DD)
Dalen Terry
PF
Matas Buzelis
Julian Phillips
Dalen Terry
C
Nikola Vucevic(DD)
Zach Collins
—
They are 6-4 in their last 10 games against the Phoenix Suns, so it’s clear that very little separates the two sides. But if Josh Giddey and Nikola Vucevic cannot make it to the game tomorrow, Phoenix will have a golden opportunity to level the score against the Bulls!
The post Will Kevin Durant Play Tonight? Suns Injury Report Reviewed Ahead of Bulls Game appeared first on EssentiallySports.
