Is Bradley Beal playing tonight against LA Lakers? Latest injury update from Phoenix Suns (Nov. 10)

Bradley Beal recently made his Phoenix Suns debut after a long wait and could return to the lineup for good. The Suns take on their divisional rivals LA Lakers at home tonight for the first group-stage game of the NBA In-Season Tournament.

Beal missed the first seven games of the season with lower back spasms after playing limited minutes in two preseason games. He returned against the Chicago Bulls in their last outing and was visibly rusty after not playing for weeks. He put up just 13 points in 23 minutes on 3-for-12 shooting (25%) with two turnovers.

Bradley Beal is listed as probable to play against the LA Lakers tonight and is expected to lace up. The game is a blockbuster matchup against LeBron James and the Lakers and is also the first game of the NBA In-Season Tournament.

The Phoenix Suns don't have the services of Devin Booker and Damion Lee. Booker continues to be sidelined with a calf strain on his left leg, and Lee is recovering from surgery on his right meniscus.

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Bradley Beal assumed point guard duties in his Phoenix Suns debut

The Phoenix Suns traded Chris Paul in exchange for Bradley Beal, so they lost a quintessential point guard and gained another scoring guard. While Devin Booker and Beal both have playmaking capabilities, losing a floor general like Paul hasn't been easy for the team. Kevin Durant has had to take much tougher shots, and the role players aren't getting spoon-fed easy looks anymore.

Therefore, Beal's debut against the Bulls was a sight for sore eyes for Suns fans. He dictated the offense and was unselfish during possessions. He recorded just four assists that night but made several great plays.

Bradley Beal and Devin Booker will share the backcourt, and the coaching staff need to make a strict decision on who will be the bonafide playmaker and who will begin off the ball. Booker is better off the ball and in catch-and-shoot situations than Beal is, so we should expect him to be playing the point more often.

However, the two guards need to play together as much as they can to develop chemistry and continuity. If they understand each other's strengths and weaknesses, they can overcome the loss of a true playmaking point guard. Durant had played with both players individually, but they haven't played with each other even once.