While Devin Booker and Cam Johnson aren’t coming back any time soon, fans do have some hope for Monday’s game against the Knicks. The hope is what? Landry Shamet and Cam Payne are listed as probable for their game against New York.
Shamet, sore achilles tendon, and Johnson, sore foot, will most likely play; barring any setbacks, we should be seeing a semi-healthy Suns team.
Payne has missed the Suns’ last nine games. Shamet has missed the last three games. Over the course of missing these players, Phoenix has gone 4-6 over the past ten games.
The game begins tomorrow at 1 PM Arizona Time. Still no Booker, Crowder, and Johnson; however, with Johnson, he has been ramping up his on-court load. While not being cleared for contact, these are the right steps being taken for his must-needed return.
The NBA has announced that Damian Lillard will be competing in this year’s NBA All-Star’s 3-Point Contest. Despite not playing a game this season due to Achilles rehab, Lillard has been chosen for this Saturday event.
The 35-year-old is a two-time champion who will be joining the likes of Kon Knueppel, Jamal Murray, Tyrese Maxey, Bobby Portis Jr., Devin Booker, Donovan Mitchell, and Norman Powell.
The contest is set to kick off Saturday’s festivities, followed by the Shooting Stars competition and then the dunk contest.
According to the NBA, Alperen Sengun is set to replace Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for the upcoming All-Star weekend. Sengun will officially be a two-time All-Star.
The reason why Sengun is replacing Gilgeous-Alexander for Team World is due to the reigning MVP rehabbing from an abdominal strain and set to be out through the break.
This season, Sengun is averaging 20.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game.
According to the Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers, franchise superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo is “getting close” from his calf injury. Plus, with him getting close, they have no intentions of shutting him down for the remainder of the season.
“He’s going to play when he’s healthy,” Rivers said on Friday. “We just got to make sure he’s healthy. He’s getting close. He’s working out. He looks good. So I would say hopefully sooner than later.”
While Rivers did not provide a timetable for Antetokounmpo’s return, the 31-year-old did complete an on-court workout on Friday.
Milwaukee is 21-29 on the season, 6-14 without Giannis, and are currently twelfth place in the Eastern Conference. There are 32 games left before the postseason begins.
