Bradley Beal’s basketball career is not without its challenges, as it has been plagued with countless injuries, forcing him to retire to the sidelines and watch the matches from afar.
Unfortunately, for the pre-season and regular season (so far), Beal has only played once. And with no announcement from the Phoenix Suns as to when the shooting guard could play, his fans are getting anxious. And speaking on behalf of them is Stephen A. Smith, who expressed his concern about Beal’s jarring absence in court.
Smith: I’m starting to get concerned, I need to see him on court
In the November 1st episode of ESPN’s ‘First Take’, Smith didn’t hesitate to voice out his opinion about the Suns’ recent 115-114 defeat to the Spurs, in which he implied that Beal could have helped increase the Sun’s odds of winning if he didn’t miss the games.
Smith on Beal
"I'm a big Bradley Beal fan, but since 2019 he's missed about 105 of the last 312 games. … I'm starting to get really, really concerned. I need to see this guy on the court."
—@stephenasmith pic.twitter.com/n1fh1WMN18
— First Take (@FirstTake) November 1, 2023
“The Spurs are a young team, and Wembanyama has been very galvanizing. That kid’s got skills; he’s going to be big time. But also, we have to take into account the fact that Kevin Durant is by himself; both Devin Brook and Bradley Beal has been out,” Smith said.
Shams Charania of The Athletic reported last week that the Suns’ two superstars, Brook and Beal, would be out due to injuries.
Suns stars Devin Booker (foot) and Bradley Beal (back) will both miss tonight’s game vs. Lakers, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 26, 2023
The news was met with apprehension among the Suns’ fan base, as Kevin Durant, the lone remaining member of the esteemed “big three”, would now face their opponents on his own.
“I’ve got to tell you something about this. I’m a big Bradley Beal fan, but since 2019 he’s missed about 105 of the last 312 games. He’s missed about 32 games last year; he’s only played 90 games for the last two seasons for crying out loud…they don’t know when he’ll be back. I’m starting to get really, really concerned. I need to see this guy on the court,” Smith added.
Beal’s Injury
When Sean Highkin first announced that Beal was suffering from lower back tightness on October 13, fans were still hoping for the player to recover just in time for the regular season.
Frank Vogel says Bradley Beal is out with lower back tightness but Kevin Durant and Devin Booker will both play.
— Sean Highkin (@highkin) October 13, 2023
And their optimism was heightened when they saw him play in the Suns’ October 16 preseason game against the Portland Trailblazers, where he scored 11 points, dished out two assists, and recorded two steals.
Later that week, however, their hopes were dashed following an announcement from the Suns that Beal’s back issues had not abated and that he would be unavailable for the final game of the pre-season against the Lakers.
With no updates as to Beal’s possible return on court, some fans have begun to worry that Durant might not be able to hold the fort for long without his comrades.
The Suns now have a tally of 2-2 in the regular season, with victories over the Warriors and Jazz and losses to the Lakers and, most recently, the Spurs.
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