Grayson Allen’s Absence Looms Large for Suns in High-Stakes Lakers Rematch
The Phoenix Suns find themselves in a challenging position as they prepare to face the Los Angeles Lakers tonight without one of their pivotal starters. Grayson Allen has been ruled out due to right knee injury management, a decision that comes after he was listed as doubtful on the injury report just yesterday. This marks the third consecutive game Allen will miss as he continues to recover from the knee issue.
Injury Update on Grayson Allen
Suns head coach Jordan Ott provided some context during practice, noting that Allen participated in “most” of the team’s session, which hints at progress in his recovery. However, the latest ruling indicates that he is not quite ready for game action. “It’s the right knee, so there was a little swelling in there just after last Sunday’s loss to the Lakers,” Ott explained. “Now that seems to have gone away, so it’s just working him back in.”
In addition to Allen’s absence, the Suns will also be without Jalen Green, who has been placed on a new re-evaluation timeline of two to three weeks. This leaves the Suns with a thinner roster as they head into a crucial matchup against their rivals.
Lakers Deal with Their Own Injury Woes
The Lakers, currently sitting at 19-8, will also have to contend with their own injury challenges. Luka Doncic is sidelined due to a lower left leg contusion, while Rui Hachimura is dealing with right groin soreness, and Gabe Vincent is out with a lumbar back strain. On a brighter note for the Lakers, Austin Reaves has been upgraded to available after battling a left calf strain that kept him off the court for the last three games.
Previewing the Rematch
Tonight’s game promises to be a hard-fought contest, especially following the heated encounter that took place last Sunday, where the Lakers edged out the Suns 116-114. That matchup was marked by a dramatic 20-point fourth-quarter comeback from the Suns, 51 personal fouls, and five technical fouls, culminating in Dillon Brooks’ ejection with just 13 seconds left. LeBron James sealed the victory with free throws in the closing moments.
“Every night is a big night for us. We play a certain style. There’s going to be some friction out there in some games by our style of play, and that’s okay,” Ott remarked, reflecting on the intensity of the rivalry.
As teams adapt to counter the Suns’ physical style, the results have varied. The Suns have struggled offensively recently, but their rebounding has been particularly concerning. They have been outrebounded in each of their last eight games, a trend that continued after their narrow 119-116 loss to the Golden State Warriors.
Rebounding: A Key Focus
Tonight’s game will put the Suns’ rebounding woes to the test against a Lakers team that also tends to have issues on the boards. However, the Lakers managed to secure 24 offensive rebounds during their last encounter, winning the overall rebounding battle 54-37.
Expect to see Brooks and James reignite their rivalry tonight, as both players have been involved in several confrontations across the previous matchups. With a tip-off scheduled for 7:00 p.m. MST, both teams are gearing up for what promises to be another fiercely contested game.
