The Phoenix Suns celebrate during a time out during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Sacramento Kings, Thursday, April 15, 2021, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Matt York)
The Phoenix Suns have benefitted from some shorthanded squads this season and that’ll continue on their East Coast road trip, the toughest stretch of the season.
On Wednesday the Suns are in Philadelphia taking on the 76ers, and the hosts will be without Tobias Harris and Ben Simmons. Guard Seth Curry will be the third starter out for Philadelphia.
All three players were questionable heading into the game and the 76ers play the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday.
Simmons is a key part of the matchup with his role defending the Suns’ Devin Booker, while Harris is the team’s second-leading scorer and Curry the top three-point shooter.
Thursday’s opponent, the Boston Celtics, will not feature Robert Williams and could be down Jaylen Brown, Evan Fournier and Kemba Walker as well.
The Suns won the first meeting back in early February, a game the All-Star Brown also missed. Walker had a rough go in that one, shooting 4-of-20, while the new Celtic Fournier had a great 21-point outing in Phoenix’s loss to the Orlando Magic on March 24.
The hits keep on coming, as MVP candidate James Harden is out indefinitely for Sunday’s opposition, the Brooklyn Nets, after re-aggravating his hamstring.
As for Kevin Durant, after missing nearly two months for a hamstring issue, he returned for only five games before exiting a game Sunday with a thigh contusion and hasn’t played since. Head coach Steve Nash said Tuesday that Durant’s scans confirmed it is a day-to-day issue. Durant is listed as out for the team’s game on Wednesday.
Phoenix lost its only other meeting with Brooklyn back on Feb. 16, with Durant and Kyrie Irving out, while Harden scored 38 points.
