The Phoenix Suns take aim at achieving their second-longest winning streak of the season when they host the Indiana Pacers on Thursday night.
The Suns are looking for a third consecutive victory. Their best stretch was a seven-game winning streak that improved their record to 8-1.
Phoenix then dropped 10 of its next 14 games before winning its last two games.
Of course, Kevin Durant has missed time with two different injuries and the Suns are just 1-9 when he doesn’t play.
Durant averaged 25 points and 7.5 assists in victories over the Utah Jazz and Portland Trail Blazers prior to this game.
Devin Booker scored 28 points in Sunday’s 116-109 win over the visiting Trail Blazers, but Tyus Jones might have delivered the most impressive offensive performance.
Jones scored 19 points on 8-of-9 shooting while starting in place of Bradley Beal (knee).
Jones is averaging 16.8 points and shooting 56.3 percent from the field in six December outings.
With Jones being a playmaker-first player, opposing teams don’t always lock down on him on the offensive end.
“With the gravity that KD, Book, and Brad create, everyone else is getting open looks,” Jones told reporters. “So, just being ready to fire âem and knock âem down.”
He also shouldn’t have too much pressure to perform at a high level on Thursday, as Beal is listed as probable after missing the past two games.
Like Jones, Royce O’Neale has picked up his offense in December by averaging 16.3 points over six games. He has made five 3-pointers three times during the stretch and four on another occasion.
“They understand that teams are gonna load up on me, Kev and Brad and they’re making them pay for it,” Booker said of Jones and O’Neale. “That’s what we worked on every day in practice. We talk about that spacing.”
Phoenix had beaten the Pacers five straight times until Indiana took the second of two January meetings last season.
The Pacers are looking for their second three-game winning streak of the season. They beat the Washington Wizards, New Orleans Pelicans and Portland Trail Blazers in succession at home in the last week of November.
The current streak began with a 121-107 road win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday and continued with a 119-104 home victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday.
Pascal Siakam had 22 points against New Orleans and Tyrese Haliburton added 21 points and 10 assists.
The contest against the Suns is the first of a three-game road trip and a stretch of five of six away from home.
The Pacers had guard Ben Sheppard (strained left oblique) on the practice court Tuesday and he’s close to returning to action. He has missed the last 14 games since being hurt against the Miami Heat on Nov. 17.
“He’s making progress,” Indiana coach Rick Carlisle said. “(He’ll be back) sometime in the not-too-distant future, we hope. He went through some things. He’s been doing some contact work. He’s getting closer and he’s been able to do things without any setbacks to this point.”
Sheppard was averaging 5.8 points and shooting 40.4 percent from 3-point range in 13 games (five starts).
Big man Thomas Bryant made his debut against the Pelicans and he had seven points and two rebounds in 11 minutes.
The 6-foot-10 Bryant was acquired from the Miami Heat on Sunday to help provide depth in the middle. He is in his eighth NBA season.
“I’ve always admired him from afar,” Carlisle said. “He plays with a great enthusiasm, great energy. He’s a highly skilled big. He’s taller than you think he is. … I know that he’s had some very good 3-point shooting years. A guy who has the ability to stretch the floor and can do damage around the basket is very, very valuable.”