Nov 17, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Oso Ighodaro (4) dunks the ball as Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle (30) defends during the first quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Nick Wosika-Imagn Images
With Jusuf Nurkić (Left Ankle Sprain) sitting out the second half of the back-to-back for the Phoenix Suns after playing against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the team will go to a unique combination of big men in the starting lineup against the Orlando Magic.
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Chandler native Oso Ighadaro will start his first-ever game in the NBA and play alongside Mason Plumlee. In the 120-117 loss to Minnesota on Sunday, Ighadaro played 26 minutes, finishing with 11 points, three rebounds and one assist off the bench. Nurkić played just 14 minutes.
Here is the rest of what we are seeing from Footprint Center before the Suns take on the Magic:
Pregame notes
Injury Report
- Nurkić, Bradley Beal (Left Calf Strain), Kevin Durant (Left Calf Strain) and Collin Gillespie (Right Ankle Sprain) are all out for the Suns. Beal will miss his fourth straight game, Durant and Gillespie both remain out indefinitely and Nurkić played the last three games before being sidelined tonight.
- The Magic’s young star Paolo Banchero (Right Oblique Tear) will be inactive and Wendell Carter Jr. (Left Foot Plantar Fasciitis) is doubtful. Banchero is out indefinitely and hasn’t played since Oct. 30 vs. the Chicago Bulls. Carter Jr. was warming up before the game.
Pregame press conference quotes
Suns coach Mike Budenholzer:
- On Devin Booker being blitzed or double-teamed by the opposition: “A little bit of both. I think, firstly, Devin has been great, with his unselfishness, his willingness to pass and take the aggressiveness of the defense and hopefully turn it in our favor. Book has been phenomenal and then behind it, times we’ve been good, and at times, I think we need to be more aggressive. The guy on the first pass out, I think it’s got to be more aggressive and sometimes we get good looks and we just haven’t made them. I think we got to keep trusting, kind of what we’re emphasizing what we’re doing, keep empowering our players to make plays andBook to keep trusting everybody and he’s done that. We have all the confidence in the world. Our guys are going to be aggressive and they’re going to make plays.”
- On facing the Magic after the loss to Minnesota: “You have to execute in the fourth quarter. You have to be organized, but still aggressive. Organized, but still play fast. Organized, but live in a world of chaos. We’re trying to create that and live in that and sometimes it’s been better than others. I think tonight, if it gets to that, we’ll be excited about that challenge and embrace the challenge, but we have a lot of respect for Orlando and their defense and not just for the fourth quarter, but the whole game. Jamal (Mosley) does a great job, so it will be a good challenge for us.”
Magic coach Jamahl Mosley:
- On his team facing the Suns without Bradley Beal and Kevin Durant: “Yeah, I mean you watched the game last night. You know, a lot of it is Devin (Booker) heavy, but those guys did a great job of stepping up. You know, he’s always making the right play, guys stepping in, the defense has turned up another level. So, they’re turning teams over more, they’re getting out on the break more trying to get the easy baskets. You know, teams are going to find different ways to guard Book (Devin Booker), and he’s finding ways to get his teammates open. I mean, they made some big plays down the stretch in that game and so that rhythm that they found that is going to continue to carry him as long as those other guys are out.”
- On Suns backcourt: “I think T Jones (Tyus Jones) does a fantastic job of setting the table, getting guys in position, relieving some of the pressure from Book (Devin Booker) when he sees the double team making the right play. I think he had three or four floaters down at the end of the game when they double-teamed him, made big plays down the stretch, and had a chance to win it essentially at the end of the game. So, I think the balance that they have is really good, relieving some of that pressure from Book when he sees the double teams, when he sees the different combinations of defenses. But I think that that is a very good backcourt. And I think that, you know, as time has gone on, it’s been a couple of games without KD (Kevin Durant) and now without (Bradley) Beal. So, they’re adjusting to it, and I think that you’re going to see more of it than being able to do that as well.”
Starting lineup
Pregame media
NBA makes final ruling on Julius Randle game-winner
