Kevin Durant will be back on the floor after a three-game absence when the Phoenix Suns host the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday night.
Durant has been sidelined with a sprained left ankle sustained Feb. 3 in a 121-119 overtime loss to the host Portland Trail Blazers.
The Suns won just one of the three games he missed and are 2-11 this season when Durant sits out.
Monday was the first time Durant faced reporters since the trade deadline passed on Thursday. His name was circulating, but Phoenix held on to the 15-time All-Star.
“It’s not a bad thing that people around the league want me to play for them,” Durant said. “It’s not a bad thing my organization here is fighting off people to keep me on the team or even dangle me in a trade. It’s part of being in high demand.”
The 36-year-old forward is just 26 points short becoming the eighth player in NBA history with 30,000 career points, and he isn’t viewed as being close to the finish line.
The Suns ended up keeping their Big Three of Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal together despite being considered underachievers with a .500 record.
Durant said his ego wasn’t bruised by Phoenix shopping him.
“It’s just part of the business,” Durant said. “Everybody’s bought and sold in this league. Anybody can be up for auction, so I understand that. It’s just about getting back on the court and trying to go out and play the game that I love.”
Beal will miss his third straight game as he continues to deal with a left big toe injury. Fellow guard Grayson Allen (knee) is probable.
Booker has topped 30 points in four of the past six games, including a season-high 47 to go with 11 assists in Phoenix’s 135-127 overtime win over the visiting Utah Jazz on Friday.
The Grizzlies, who are in second place in the Western Conference, had won 10 of 11 games before falling 125-112 to the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday.
The Tuesday visit to Phoenix kicks off a five-game road trip. The Grizzlies play the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday in their final game before the All-Star break, then head east to face Indiana, Orlando and Cleveland.
“We’ve just got to keep working to get better,” Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins said. “Two more games. The (All-Star) break is going to happen for all 30 teams. I couldn’t care less when the break comes. We’ve just got to focus on getting better.”
Against Oklahoma City, Memphis was outrebounded 55-40. Desmond Bane scored 20 points for the Grizzlies, and Jaren Jackson Jr. added 19.
“We just have to be better on the boards and turnovers and do the little things,” Jackson said.
Memphis point guard Ja Morant had 16 points, seven assists and five rebounds but shot just 6 of 19 from the field. He averaged 25.5 points in the two contests prior — both of them blowout wins.
Bane is averaging 22 points over the past three games and notched 20 or more in 14 of his last 17 appearances.
“We still have a lot of games left to grow,” Bane said. “But we need to look ourselves in the mirror and continue to improve.”
Memphis defeated the host Suns 117-112 on Dec. 31. Jackson had 38 points and Bane scored 31 for the Grizzlies, while Durant put up 29 points for Phoenix.
–Field Level Media
