Beal Breaker! Bradley Beal’s Presence Spells Doom for the Suns
The Phoenix Suns may have found their winning formula—and it doesn’t include Bradley Beal.
With Beal sidelined due to injury, the Suns have surged to a four-game winning streak, improving their record to a staggering 13-3 when Kevin Durant and Devin Booker play without him. The evidence is becoming hard to ignore: Phoenix has found success by building around their superstar duo with defensive-minded, high-effort players rather than adding another ball-dominant scorer according to NBA insider Evan Sidery.
Sidery also noted the trend, highlighting how the Suns have looked their best when they lean into defensive versatility and off-ball movement. Rookie Ryan Dunn has played a major role in that transformation, stepping up in Beal’s absence and solidifying himself in the rotation. The Suns are 5-1 since reinserting Dunn with more minutes, and the numbers back up his impact. When Dunn shares the floor with Booker and Durant, Phoenix outscores opponents by 6.8 points per 100 possessions.
