Kevin Durant sidelined for Suns vs. Grizzlies game with right foot soreness

Phoenix Suns star forward Kevin Durant will be sitting out the anticipated Friday match against the Grizzlies in Memphis due to soreness in his right foot.

Surprisingly, Durant was not listed on the team’s injury report released on Thursday night, but appeared on it Friday morning as questionable.

Durant has been a key player in all 15 games for the Suns this season and has been off to an amazing start, averaging 31.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 4.0 turnovers, and 1.2 blocks per game. He’s shooting at an impressive 53.3% from the field and 52.2% from 3-point range.

With recent injuries to Devin Booker and the current injury to Bradley Beal, Durant has been logging high minutes per game, tied for third in the league at 36.9. The team would ideally want to reduce his playing time, especially considering his age of 35 years old.

In Durant’s absence, Keita Bates-Diop will be starting in his place, and Nassir Little is expected to see more minutes. This is while Yuta Watanabe is still out due to a left quad contusion.

Adding to the list of absent players, backup center Drew Eubanks will also miss the game after rolling his ankle in the previous game. Chimezie Metu is likely to fill in for him.

Phoenix is playing its final group game for the in-season tournament and is competing for the wild card spot in the Western Conference. With a 2-1 record in Group A, the Suns need to not only win this game but also increase their point differential, which is currently at +13. This will be a crucial tiebreaker in the standings.

The game is scheduled for a 3 p.m. tip-off and can be streamed on ArizonaSports.com, 98.7, and the Arizona Sports app.

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