Out to avenge loss to Heat, Suns to rely on ‘next guy’
After a six-game road trip that careened from good to nearly disastrous Friday, the Phoenix Suns return home to host the Miami Heat to begin a five-game homestand Sunday.
The Heat beat Phoenix 127-121 in the first game of the Suns' six-game trip on Jan. 13, a tour that was going well -- three wins, two close losses -- until guards Devin Booker and Jalen Green suffered injuries in a 110-103 defeat against the Atlanta Hawks on Friday.
Booker, the Suns' leading scorer, will not play Sunday because of an ankle injury. Green (hamstring) is questionable.
"The next guy will step up," Suns coach Jordan Ott said. "We'll find a way. You feel for those guys any time someone gets injured, especially on a night when we were finally healthy, finally over that step. We'll figure it out. See what happens next."
The Heat conclude a five-game trip in Phoenix after splitting the first four, beating Utah 147-116 on Saturday night. The Heat had a 64-34 rebounding edge, with 26 offensive rebounds.
"We want to make the effort to go to the glass," Miami coach Eric Spoelstra said, "on either side of the floor. Anything that has to do with making a multiple effort. You can stand and watch and kind of shuffle back. Or you can make an effort."
Miami, 10-15 in its last 25, has not won consecutive games since a four-game streak that ended Jan. 1.
Bam Adebayo had 26 points and 15 rebounds, and reserve forward Nikola Jovic had 23 points at Utah as the Heat reached 140 for the eighth time this season.
"It's a great team win," said Jovic, 6-foot-10, who is playing minutes at center while Kel'el Ware (hamstring) is out. "I always believe in myself. I know how good I am."
Grayson Allen is likely to take Booker's place in the starting lineup. Allen came off the bench in all but one of the previous 10 games following a nine-game absence to treat a knee injury.
Allen (16.3 points per game) scored 33 points in his one start since, a 108-105 loss to Detroit on the second game of the trip.
Green has played only four games after suffering a right hamstring injury in training camp, the first two in early November before the injury recurred.
After a 33-game absence, Green scored 12 points in 20 minutes off the bench in a 116-110 victory at Philadelphia on Tuesday before again tweaking the hamstring late in the first quarter at Atlanta.
Booker turned his right ankle when he inadvertently stepped on Hawks forward Onyeka Okongwu's right foot as both were heading down the floor away from the ball.
Booker had scored 31 points and the Suns were ahead 91-84, but they could not find a rhythm in the fourth quarter, going 5-for-21 from the field and 1 of 10 from distance while being outscored 26-12.
"The last five out six minutes (of the third quarter) was some of the best basketball we have played all year," Ott said.
Adebayo had 29 points for the game and a pair of 3-pointers in the final 2 1/2 minutes of the Heat's 127-121 win over the Suns, and Andrew Wiggins made two game-clinching free throws with 11 seconds remaining after Dillon Brooks was called for a flagrant foul.
Like Ware, Heat guard Tyler Herro (ribs) is not with the team. Guard Davion Mitchell (shoulder) missed his second straight game at Utah.