Fans of the Phoenix Suns finally saw the team's Big 3 in action against the Brooklyn Nets for the first time this season. Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, and Bradley Beal are healthy, allowing them to play simultaneously. Although their first game together ended in a 116-112 loss, their presence right now has comforted most fans.
All three had a decent game against the Nets. Booker led the team in scoring as their lead guard. He had 34 points, six rebounds, and 12 assists in 60 percent shooting from the field. KD backed up his All-Star teammate's performance with 27 points, six rebounds, and four assists. Durant struggled to be a threat from behind the three-point arc, only making one out of his five attempts.
Beal, who played for the first time since missing the Suns' Nov. 15 matchup, had a decent outing. The 6-foot-4 guard finished with 16 points, three rebounds, and three assists in 27 minutes of action.
Suns Big 3 debut:
— StatMuse (@statmuse) December 14, 2023
Booker — KD — Beal —
34 PTS 27 PTS 15 PTS
6 REB 6 REB 6-9 FG
12 AST 4 AST 2-2 3P
0-1 as a trio. pic.twitter.com/5WUKGWtf39
Frank Vogel's lineup management has been inconsistent and will be put to the test now that the Suns' Big 3 is healthy.
Vogel started Booker, Durant, Beal, Chimezie Metu, and Jusuf Nurkic against Brooklyn. The spacing on the floor was helpful to the stars, as Metu is a decent shooter from long range. Phoenix ended the game with the Big 3, Jordan Goodwin and Yuta Watanabe.
Time is needed for the Suns to figure out how they manage lineups. But there are three lineups the coaching staff could explore that will benefit the Big 3.