The Phoenix Suns began their stretch of games without the injured Kevin Durant with a spirited overtime loss on Sunday, eventually falling 127-118. There were some positives to take away from the defeat, including the fact this is only the team's second loss of the entire season.
Given that the Suns had recorded their second loss by the end of October last season - as part of a 2-2 start that eventually fell as low as 2-4 - it is fair to say that serious progress has already been made by head coach Mike Budenholzer.
But it may have come at a cost in the form of Bradley Beal.
If ever this organization needed Beal to be healthy for a stretch of games, it is now. Not only is his offensive output going to keep the Suns afloat while Durant rests his strained calf, but defensively so far this season he has been as good as we have ever seen him in The Valley.
In 38 minutes against the Kings, Beal had a team-high 28 points. Devin Booker could only muster 23, but that was more to do with an illness he's been battling than anything else. He played 43 minutes - more than anybody else on the team - and played his part in valiantly battling the Kings into overtime, before coming up short.
"It feels a little sore. But X-rays were negative, which is the best thing I could ask for. So probably just a bad bruise or something."
— Gerald Bourguet (@GeraldBourguet) November 11, 2024
Bradley Beal talked about playing through the knee injury after DeMar DeRozan fell into his leg: pic.twitter.com/hqvO3zsqHr
To make matters worse, Beal revealed after the game that he had rolled his knee late in the fourth-quarter, but had battled through the pain and stayed on the court. An x-ray afterwards came back negative - a great sign for both player and team - while Beal also said he could put pressure on the knee afterwards.
But if we've learnt anything about Bradley Beal's time in Phoenix to this point, it is that injury and time missed is never too far away. He was limited to 53 regular season games in his debut campaign, while already this season he has missed three games with an elbow injury.
It has also become clear that the organization are not rushing players back from injury - although rookie Ryan Dunn was out there despite spraining his ankle recently - with Durant going to be given all the time necessary to rehab the calf strain. That makes sense, but Beal rolling his knee with Durant already out and Booker fighting illness is typical of how his time with the Suns has gone so far.
Just when there is an opportunity to revert back to the offensive centerpiece that he was with the Washington Wizards - as opposed to the third option he has assumed when the Suns are healthy - Beal himself suffers a knock that throws into question how much he can help.
He doesn't even have to try and be the point guard anymore, while the absence of Durant means Ryan Dunn can take his spot, and not threaten Beal's own starting berth as a section of fans call for Beal to be moved to the bench. A rematch with the Kings - plus an Emirates NBA Cup game versus the Utah Jazz beforehand - looms, and it would be great if Beal was available.