What to Expect From Suns' Big Three Debut
Editors note: Beal has been ruled out for tonight.
The squad is complete!
The Athletic's Shams Charania confirmed the expected this morning, reporting that the Phoenix Suns' big three of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal will see their first regular season action together tonight against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
This comes after months of anticipation that has been built ever since Phoenix acquired Beal back in June. He and Booker have struggled with injuries in the first ten games of the regular season.
The Suns and specifically owner Mat Ishbia are putting much faith into a very talented big three with some health questions, and it's encouraging to see all three suit up together finally.
What are some things fans should expect/watch for tonight concerning the dynamic trio?
Who is Primary Ball Handler?
Charania initially insinuated the Suns were planning on predominately featuring Beal at point guard in favor of Booker, but either those plans have changed or it never was the plan to begin with.
Expect "Point Book" to return tonight.
Booker and Beal are both likely at their best off-ball, but Booker offers more as the engine of an offense at this stage, indicated by his 31 PPG/10.5 APG stat line in a two game sample so far.
This isn't to say Beal won't get his opportunities to facilitate, however, as the first-year Suns star profiles as one of the most underrated playmakers across the league.
What Will Shot Diet Look Like?
Suns fans should figure the big three will take what the defense gives them, and the inclination is that it won't be shots inside of ten feet.
Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert figure to make life tough for the big three, but Beal, Booker, and Durant being three of the highest-IQ players in the game will hopefully counteract the Wolves' standout defense.
At the end of the day, expect a steady diet of mid range shot with an ample amount of three-balls mixed in. Durant is attempting mid-range shots at the highest rate of his career, and mid-range shots being widely regarded as the least efficient shot in basketball force coaching staffs to focus more on the other two areas of the court.
How Many Minutes Will Booker/Beal Receive?
While we got the answer to the question of if the trio of stars will play together tonight, there is still a question of how much run they'll get together.
Beal has averaged just under 29 MPG this season, so it's perfectly reasonable to believe the 28-30 minute range is the sweet spot for Beal again tonight.
Booker is tougher to gauge, as the Suns' superstar played 37 and 35 minutes, respectively, in the pair of games he was active this season despite dealing with various ailments.
The plan very well could be to put a cap on Booker's minutes tonight, but the guard appears to be close to 100%, so a close game could change those plans.
Also expect Vogel to stagger minutes around the three to avoid all-bench lineups throughout the game.
The new big-three era will be ushered in shortly after 7 PM Arizona time, with the game being broadcast on AZ Family for local audiences as usual.
