The Phoenix Suns will have Grayson Allen available against the Denver Nuggets. This gives the team a boost ahead of Tuesday’s matchup.
Allen Overcomes Knee Injury
Allen was initially considered questionable due to a knee injury. He is now good to go after a short absence.
The knee injury has followed Allen since the All-Star break. He has missed the last two games for Phoenix.
“He’s got to feel right. He plays at such a high level. We love what he does for our team,” Suns coach Jordan Ott previously said of Allen.
O’Neale Cleared, Dunn Ruled Out
Royce O’Neale was also given the green light. He had been listed as probable.
Ryan Dunn (right groin) was suddenly ruled out ahead of the tip.
Keys to Victory Against Denver
Denver has won both prior matchups against Phoenix and are currently on a four-game streak against the Suns.
“We got to move bodies. Hopefully our kind of movement patterns are a little bit different. We can put them in some scenarios that we play out of concepts, instead of just play based, so that we can move them around,” Ott said pre-game on how to attack the Nuggets.
Ott added that Nikola Jokic is unique as a pick-and-roll defender. He feels Jokic has the ability to call out different coverages as the game goes on, making it hard to get a rhythm on him.
Ott also said that Denver does a great job of shifting off the basketball, so he hopes the Suns can move them with their shooting. If they give up the three-point line, the Suns have to be able to shoot it and let it go, and they can’t get to them in transition. They have to run.
Allen’s Impact on the Suns
Allen is averaging 17.2 points, three rebounds and 4.1 assists per game this season. Outside of his obvious three-point shooting, his ability to defend and cut to the rim offensively has taken a step forward this year.
Allen’s presence certainly helps against the Nuggets.
Opening tip is slated for just past 8:00 PM AZ time and can be found nationally on NBC/Peacock.