PHOENIX — Brooklyn’s Big 3 experiment with Kevin Durant flanked by Kyrie Irving and James Harden flamed out.
Wednesday was the league’s first look at Durant’s Big 3 version with the Suns during a 116-112 loss to his former team.
Durant was upgraded to probable to face the Nets after missing the prior two games with a sprained left ankle. He, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal — all elite scorers — had only played a half together due to injuries, that coming in the preseason.
Of course, the Nets’ Big 3 famously played just 16 games together, going 13-3. Irving’s lack of availability for various reasons and Ben Simmons’ bad back — after Harden had forced his way out via trade — contributed to Durant finally asking for a move to Phoenix in February, a megadeal that brought back Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, four first-round picks and another first-round swap.
Simmons (left lower back nerve impingement), defensive backup Dennis Smith Jr. (upper back sprain) and sixth man Lonnie Walker IV (left hamstring strain) were sidelined Wednesday. Rookie first-round picks Dariq Whitehead and Noah Clowney, as well as two-way Keon Johnson, were on G-League assignments.
Jalen Wilson and Armoni Brooks had been called up from Long Island to join the Nets on this trip.
Nassir Little, who cleared concussion protocol, scored 10 in 27 minutes for Phoenix. Grayson Allen (right groin strain), Damion Lee (right meniscus surgery) and Josh Okogie (right hip) were out for the Suns.
Since the trade-deadline swap last season, Durant came into Wednesday having played 27 out of possible 50 games for Phoenix — averaging 29.5 points, 6.3 rebounds and five assists.
Bridges had played all 49 possible games for Brooklyn — averaging 24.5 points, 5.2 boards and 3.3 assists (all career-highs) — and Johnson had logged 40 out of 49 — averaging 15.9 points and 5.2 rebounds.
Cam Thomas played his sixth straight game since returning from his sprained ankle, breaking out of a a modest skid. The high-scoring young guard had averaged 15.8 points over his previous four but scored a team-high 24 Wednesday — going 6-for-17 from the field, including 4-for-8 from 3.
The Nets don’t plan on resting any players for the second night of the back to back Thursday at mile-high Denver.
“That’s not the intention. We’ll be ready to rock and roll. We’ll get a postgame assessment for our group. But all intent is we’re trying to get one [Thursday] too,” said Jacque Vaughn.
Since the 2018-19 season, teams playing a road game in Denver on the second game of a back-to-back have collectively gone just 8-27, according to Elias Sports Bureau.
After getting lured into too many midrange attempts in Monday’s loss at Sacramento, Brooklyn was 15 of 41 from deep against the Suns with a shot profile much more in keeping with their team character.
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