Suns Reveal Starters vs Pelicans

The Phoenix Suns are rolling out the following lineup against the New Orleans Pelicans.

Apr 7, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) and New Orleans Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III (25) react and argue during the second half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Allan Henry-Imagn Images / Allan Henry-Imagn Images

PHOENIX -- Tonight feels like a unique opportunity for the Phoenix Suns to both ride positive momentum forward after two strong performances in a row and to exercise demons that were possibly exposed in the previous absence of Kevin Durant.

The Suns and head coach Mike Budenholzer's most pressing task going into tonight's game with the New Orleans Pelicans has very likely been to figure out what the starting rotation would look like without two of the usual tenants in the lineup unavailable (Durant and Jusuf Nurkic) while rookie forward Ryan Dunn was ruled out ahead of game time.

Ultimately, the Suns settled on this lineup:

Tyus Jones

Devin Booker

Bradley Beal

Royce O'Neale

Mason Plumlee

Phoenix has been pretty banged up this season, though Booker isn't looking to make excuses for him or his teammates:

"Just understanding that everybody goes through it. All teams at some point through the season have to deal with it. I think it's a special time for more opportunity for other people to get a chance, because you never know what's going to happen later in the season or even the playoffs, to where you just have to figure it out. No one talks about injuries after a season ends," he said previously this week.

The Pelicans and former Suns assistant coach Willie Green have dealt with a myriad of rough injuries - but Green is beginning to get some key pieces back.

Suns-Pelicans is slated to tip off shortly past 6 P.M. Phoenix time tonight.