Bradley Beal will miss his sixth consecutive game due to a strained left hamstring when the Phoenix Suns play the Houston Rockets (48-26) at PHX Arena on Sunday at 6 p.m.
The last time Beal played was during the first half of a defeat to the Los Angeles Lakers on March 16.
The Suns (35-39) have lost their last two games, 124-109 at Minnesota on Friday night and 30 points at home against defending NBA champion Boston on Wednesday. They are also 4-2 without Beal during this time.
“He wants to get back,” Suns rookie Ryan Dunn said after Saturday’s practice. “He’s working his butt off.”
Due to many injuries, Beal has only played in 48 games this season. In his second season with the Suns, he is averaging 17.3 points on 50.5% shooting (39.5% from three).
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Since playing all 82 games for the Washington Wizards for the second consecutive season in 2018–19, the three-time All-Star has not participated in more than 60 games in a season.
The Suns trail Sacramento (36-38) by one game for the 10th seed and last play-in spot in the Western Conference, and they are a game and a half behind ninth seed Dallas (37-38). Sacramento has the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Suns, but Phoenix has the tiebreaker over the Mavericks.
If the Suns defeat the Kings in the regular-season finale on April 13 in Sacramento, they will win the tiebreaker. The division record is better for Phoenix.
Having won nine of their last ten games, the Rockets are currently ranked second in the Western Conference.
