PHOENIX -- The Phoenix Suns head into Thursday’s game against the Charlotte Hornets with another clean-looking injury report, and that’s a welcome sight as they try to build on Tuesday’s blowout win over the Los Angeles Clippers.
Phoenix lists only Mark Williams, who remains out after left shoulder surgery. He is still dealing with the torn labrum he suffered in an offseason workout.
Jordan Goodwin, meanwhile, is back in the mix. After missing three games with a calf injury, he returned Tuesday and made an immediate impact in the Suns’ 133-110 win, scoring a season-high 18 points while knocking down 6 of 7 shots from 3-point range.
“It's him every night. We talk about just his energy and his general enthusiasm for life and basketball is always at a high level," Suns coach Jordan Ott said after the game.
"And tonight on top of it, he made shots, so he's definitely improved in that area. It feels like every time it leaves his hands, it's going to go in.”
Charlotte’s availability picture looks much messier. Kon Knueppel, Brandon Miller, Dennis Schroder and Hannes Steinback are all out, while Moussa Diabate and Grant Williams are probable.
The matchup also brings a few familiar faces back to Phoenix. Grayson Allen and Royce O'Neale will face the Suns for the first time since being traded to Charlotte this offseason in the deal that brought Miles Bridges to Phoenix. Bridges, who spent the first seven years of his career with the Hornets, will also be back on the other side.
The Suns have had a rough opening stretch, but the schedule has been brutal. They’ve already played the toughest slate in the NBA, and so far they’ve handled the two games against teams under .500 with ease, including the Clippers win.
That doesn’t erase the early stumbles against stronger opponents, but it does suggest Phoenix has more to show than the ugly losses have revealed.
Thursday offers another chance to back that up. Charlotte comes in after losing six straight before beating the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday, and the Hornets’ offense has been a major problem all season. Their 101.9 offensive rating is the worst in the league, and they also sit last in field-goal percentage at 40% and turnovers at 19 per game.
For a Suns team still trying to sharpen its defense after opening the year near the bottom of the league, that sets up a favorable test.
If Phoenix keeps playing with the same identity it showed last season, it should be in good shape against Charlotte.
Tipoff is set for shortly after 7 p.m. MST.
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What makes this early stock report so interesting is how quickly it turns into a rotation conversation. The Suns are sorting through which contributors can hold up on both sides of the floor, which young players are rising fast, and which names may be sliding toward the outside of the picture as the season takes shape. [Read more 🡒]