Suns' Kevin Durant returns from injury against Lakers' LeBron James

Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant has been through the rehab process enough to know when he is close to returning from his injury.

“I just try to simulate the game as best as I can,” Durant said after his pregame practice on Tuesday. “There’s a lot out there on our bodies. When you play against the best athletes in the world. So try to simulate that as much as possible.”

Durant has recovered from a calf strain that sidelined him seven games. The Suns (9-7) took a 1-6 lead in that period.

Bradley Beal and Durant both returned for Tuesday’s showdown against the Los Angeles Lakers (10-6) at Footprint Center in the NBA Cup West Group B game.

Durant was the team’s leading scorer at 27.6 points per game and hit his first shot, a 3-pointer, early in Tuesday’s game. He scored 14 points in 15 minutes of play in the first half and shot 2 of 3 from deep as the Suns led 62-60 at halftime.

“I think having a practice, a really good scrimmage day, with both KD and Brad (Beal), was probably the most important thing,” Suns coach Mike Budenholzer said. “They are simply integrated.”

The Suns lost five games without Durant and Beal, whose last win came Nov. 12 at the Utah Jazz in the opening game of their group stage.

“Both are great players,” Budenholzer said. “Kevin, his gravity away from the ball, you can see that when you watch film. He cannot be involved in anything and is closely guarded at all times. That obviously makes room for the other four guys.”

The Suns had five days between last week’s loss to the New York Knicks and Tuesday’s game against the Lakers. Budenholzer admitted he wasn’t a fan of this type of break when he first saw the schedule over the summer, but now sees it as a “blessing” because it gave Durant and Beal time to return without missing more games.

Durant certainly appreciated the break.

“That went quite well,” he said. “Grateful for that.”

Durant said he felt “a slight tug” in his left calf during a rebound in the third quarter of Phoenix’s 114-113 win Nov. 8 in Dallas. He grabbed during a timeout in the fourth quarter.

“It wouldn’t keep me out of the game,” Durant said. “I kept playing but it was a bit tiring. I knew there was something there.”

Durant said he misses being “one of the guys” when it comes to traveling since he didn’t participate in the four-game road trip. Durant said his calf strain was more serious in the lead-up to the 2024 Paris Olympics because he missed a month.

During the span that the Suns were without Durant and Beal, teams blitzed, doubled and stocked up on Devin Booker. Durant said he didn’t think that would happen, but he talked about being aggressive to score if teams continue that strategy with him on the field.

How much Durant plays might be the bigger question.

Budenholzer said before the game that they will be watching to see how many minutes Durant and Beal play on Tuesday against the Lakers. Durant leads the team in minutes per game with 38.8.

“Just deal with it smartly, logically and sensibly,” Budenholzer said. “Their long-term health for our group is something we have to keep in mind as we think about how often they will play tonight.”

In 18th grade, Durant said he would play fewer minutes if the Suns put teams away, but expects he will be on the floor if the game ends up being close.

“I want to play 48 minutes,” Durant said. “I’ve been saying that for ten years. I want to play 48 minutes. I’m coachable and I’ll do whatever the coach asks of me, but I just want him to know in the back of his mind that I need to play 48 minutes.”

Do you have any opinions on the current state of the suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at [email protected] or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.

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