The Phoenix Suns’ strong start to the season hit a major setback when forward Kevin Durant strained his left calf on November 8.
With Durant, the Suns were 8-1, but they have since lost five of their last six games leading up to Wednesday night’s home contest against the New York Knicks. Phoenix has dropped four straight games, including a 109-99 loss to the Orlando Magic on Monday.
Guard Bradley Beal (left calf strain) and center Jusuf Nurkic (left ankle sprain) also missed Monday’s game, which marked the team’s third double-digit loss since Durant’s injury. Beal is set to miss his fifth consecutive game, while Nurkic is questionable after missing the last three.
Devin Booker has been trying to carry the short-handed Suns, with mixed results. He scored 44 points on 15-of-29 shooting in a 120-117 road loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday but has averaged just 15.7 points on 13-of-40 shooting (32.5 percent) in the other three games of Phoenix’s last four contests.
The New York Knicks have won two of their last three games against the Suns after losing the previous nine in a row in the series.
The Knicks are entering a five-game road trip with added confidence from a three-game win streak. Star guard Jalen Brunson recorded 26 points, 11 assists, and made five three-pointers as the Knicks defeated the visiting Washington Wizards 134-106 on Monday.
Karl-Anthony Towns added 24 points and 12 rebounds in a game where New York hit 20 of 40 three-point attempts. Cameron Payne was 5-of-6 from long range, scoring 17 points off the bench. The Knicks accumulated 37 assists while committing just eight turnovers.
Towns has four straight double-doubles and 11 in his last 12 games in his first season with the Knicks after being acquired from the Minnesota Timberwolves in early October. Knicks backup guard Miles McBride (knee/illness) will miss his fourth consecutive game.
