Suns damage replace. Beginning huge nearer to returning on highway journey

[ad_1] CHARLOTTE – Phoenix Suns heart Mark Williams is listed as questionable for Thursday’s sport, April 2, in opposition to his former workforce, the Charlotte Hornets, at Spectrum Middle.

Williams performed his first three NBA seasons with the Hornets earlier than being traded to the Suns, who despatched two first-round draft choices to Charlotte for the 7-footer out of Duke.

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Earlier than the 2025-26 season, Williams expressed his emotions in the direction of the Hornets, who appeared to maneuver him to the Los Angeles Lakers earlier than final season’s commerce deadline, however the commerce was rescinded resulting from Williams failing the Lakers’ workforce bodily.

“Simply to be the place you are needed is all the time nice,” Williams mentioned on the Suns media day on Sept. 24. “To be right here is thrilling. Charlotte was finally the place I used to be drafted to. There was a perception in me sooner or later, however when you commerce me the primary time, it was solely a matter of time earlier than I used to be gone. So I knew that was coming. I simply intend to make them remorse that call each time I am on the courtroom.”

Williams missed Phoenix’s final 15 video games with left foot third metatarsal stress response. The Suns (42-33) are 7-8 throughout this stretch as they’re coming off a 115-111 loss March 31 to the Orlando Magic within the second of a back-to-back to begin this four-game highway journey.

Williams missed the primary matchup March 8 in opposition to the Hornets (40-36) in Phoenix. The Suns received, 111-99.

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Suns coach Jordan Ott mentioned Williams reacted properly to enjoying 5-on-5 for the second time in three days Monday in Memphis.

“Looks as if he got here out of it fairly properly,” Ott mentioned pregame Tuesday. “That’s a very good signal. He continues to enhance and it looks as if we’re getting there.”

Williams is averaging 11.6 factors and eight.1 rebounds in a career-high 56 video games in his first 12 months in Phoenix after three injury-filled years with the Hornets.

He performed a complete of 106 video games for Charlotte. A primary-round choose within the 2022 draft, Williams averaged 12.3 factors and eight.8 rebounds in his three years with the Hornets.

Haywood Highsmith (proper knee damage administration) and Amir Coffey (left ankle sprain) are dominated out of Thursday’s sport. Highsmith has missed seven straight video games and Coffey has been sidelined eight consecutive video games.

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Dillon Brooks made his return in Tuesday's loss after lacking 18 consecutive video games with a fractured left hand. Carrying a bandage on his non-shooting left hand, Brooks scored 9 factors on 4-of-13 taking pictures.

“Simply glad he is on the market,” Suns coach Jordan Ott mentioned after the sport. “Appeared to return out wholesome. No hits on that factor. He'll get all that different stuff. Simply good to have him on the market.”

The Hornets have dominated PJ Corridor out with proper ankle soreness.

Phoenix is seventh within the West whereas Charlotte stands tenth within the East.

With seven video games left within the common season, the Suns are 4½ video games behind the Houston Rockets (46-29) for sixth. They've a three-game lead on the Los Angeles Clippers (39-37), who're eighth.

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The highest six groups advance to the playoffs in every convention whereas groups 7-10 battle within the play-in match for the seventh and eighth seeds.

<img alt="Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks (3) shoots over Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. (34) during the first quarter at Kia Center in Orlando, on March 31, 2026." loading="lazy" width="960" height="640" decoding="async" data-nimg="1" class="standard-img" style="color:transparent" src="https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/rbY_DHkG0kKa42n.pFpLkQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MDtjZj13ZWJw/https://media.zenfs.com/en/azcentral-the-arizona-republic/c0b772d6f1c834c37eaea9e74e4e1887"/> Phoenix Suns ahead Dillon Brooks (3) shoots over Orlando Magic heart Wendell Carter Jr. (34) in the course of the first quarter at Kia Middle in Orlando, on March 31, 2026.

If the play-in began in the present day, the Suns would host the Clippers for the seventh seed within the West. The loser would play the winner of the 9-10 sport for the eighth seed.

The Portland Path Blazers (39-38) are ninth within the West and the Golden State Warriors (36-39) stand tenth.

Phoenix went 2-2 versus the Clippers, 2-1 in opposition to the Blazers and 1-3 versus the Warriors, who're down Stephen Curry with a knee damage that has sidelined the celebrity for 2 months.

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Warriors coach Steve Kerr mentioned Tuesday that Curry might return earlier than the tip of the common season, the Related Press reported.

Curry has lately participated in a full apply and ran 5-on-5 with the Warriors.

Have opinions in regards to the present state of the Suns? Attain Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-810-5518. Comply with him on X, previously Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.