The Phoenix Suns’ strong start to the season evaporated the minute forward Kevin Durant strained his left calf on Nov. 8.
The Suns were 8-1 with Durant and have since dropped five of six games entering Wednesday night’s home contest against the New York Knicks.
Phoenix has lost four straight games entering Wednesday, including a 109-99 home loss to the Orlando Magic on Monday.
Guard Bradley Beal (left calf strain) and center Jusuf Nurkic (left ankle sprain) also missed the contest that resulted in the club’s third double-digit setback since Durant was injured.
Point guard Tyus Jones isn’t concerned, as he said every team has rough patches at some point during the 82-game slate.
“You have these stretches throughout the season, so they’re a grind,” Jones told reporters after Monday’s loss. “It’s not gonna be our last stretch like this. It’s just a grind, especially when you got guys down.
“But we just gotta continue to fight, continue to get better, stay together, not let this kind of get our spirit down and know that it’ll be good for us in the long run.”
Suns coach Mike Budenholzer sees the closeness of his team, and he refuses to let the slide rattle him.
“These guys stay together,” Budenholzer said. “It’s a good group, they’ve got a good spirit, they’ve got a good way about them. Through good times and through the hard times, you gotta keep coming to work, putting your individual time in, putting your team time in and keep your head up. This group will do that. They’re very good, they’re very resilient.”
But having three starters out is never a good formula for success. Beal will miss his fifth straight game, while Nurkic is questionable after sitting out the last three.
Devin Booker has tried to carry the short-handed Suns but results have been mixed. He had 44 points on 15-of-29 shooting during a 120-117 road loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday but has averaged just 15.7 points on 13-of-40 shooting (32.5 percent) in the other three games of the Phoenix’s last four contests.
New York has won two of its last three games against the Suns after dropping the previous nine in a row in the series.
The Knicks carry an extra dose of confidence into the opener of a five-game road trip, one they begin on a three-game win streak.
“I think what gives us momentum is the way we’re playing,” standout center Karl-Anthony Towns said. “We’re playing good basketball now.”
Star guard Jalen Brunson recorded 26 points, 11 assists and made five 3-pointers as the Knicks crushed the visiting Washington Wizards 134-106 on Monday.
Towns added 24 points and 12 rebounds on a night in which New York knocked down 20 of 40 3-point field-goal attempts. Cameron Payne was 5-of-6 from long range while scoring 17 points off the bench.
The Knicks racked up 37 assists against just eight turnovers.
“When you play like that, the ball breathes and there’s a good energy to it,” New York coach Tom Thibodeau said of his club’s ball movement. “I thought the unselfishness was terrific.”
Towns has four straight double-doubles and 11 in the past 12 games for the Knicks in his first season with the team. He was acquired from the Minnesota Timberwolves in early October.
Knicks backup guard Miles McBride (knee/illness) will miss his fourth consecutive game.
