Phoenix Suns Bradley Beal Ankle Injury vs New York Knicks: NBA Guard Out Again

Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal injured his ankle during a game, adding to the team's injury woes. His status is uncertain.

Bradley Beal, the 30-year-old guard for the Phoenix Suns, suffered a right ankle injury during the first quarter of Friday night's game against the New York Knicks and will not be returning to the game. This injury comes as another setback for the Suns' All-Star trio of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Beal, who have only played together in one other game this season. That game was a loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday night.

The injury occurred when Beal landed on the foot of New York's Donte DiVincenzo after making a 3-point shot in the first quarter. DiVincenzo was called for a Flagrant 1 foul because he did not allow Beal space to land safely. Beal was visibly in pain as he lay on the ground for a few minutes before eventually getting up to make his free throw and then heading to the locker room.

This injury adds to Beal's limited playing time this season, as he has only appeared in six games due to a sore back that has plagued him for the past two months. Both Durant and Booker have also missed time this season due to various injuries. The Suns had high hopes for the star trio of Durant, Booker, and Beal, but they have yet to play together in the 11 games of the season so far. Booker, in particular, has been sidelined with a calf strain.

In a post-game interview, Kevin Durant was asked about Beal's injury and whether he felt unlucky that the Big Three had not been able to play together. Durant dismissed the idea of bad luck, stating, "Bad luck? You believe in that? I don't even look at life that way. S**t happens, that's a part of it. Brad, we got a great training staff, he got great support behind him."

Beal, who was acquired from the Washington Wizards in an offseason trade, was expected to be a crucial part of the Suns' high-powered trio, but injuries have prevented them from showcasing their potential. Beal had scored six points against the Knicks before leaving the game due to his injury.