PHILADELPHIA — In an unexpected twist, Bradley Beal embraced his new role as a bench player for the Phoenix Suns, even if it wasn’t his preference. On Monday night, he came off the bench for the first time in nearly a decade, leading the team with 25 points as the Suns defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 109-99, breaking a four-game losing streak.
Much of Beal’s impact came in the second half, where he scored 20 of his points, helping Phoenix claw back from an early 12-point deficit to secure only their second win in the last nine games. Despite his successful outing, the 31-year-old made it clear after the game that he regards himself as a starter in the NBA.
“Coach made his decision. Live with it,” Beal stated in a postgame interview, asserting his belief in his starting caliber. “I’m a starter in the league. I firmly believe that. No disrespect to anybody, but I’m a starter… Coach made a decision. I’m not going to sit there and argue with him. I’m not going to sit here and be a distraction.”
It was Beal’s first time coming off the bench since the 2015-16 season, which was when he was recovering from an injury while playing for the Washington Wizards. Coach Mike Budenholzer also made the decision to move Jusuf Nurkic, coming back from a three-game suspension due to an altercation, to a backup role as well. Before the game, Budenholzer emphasized that both players received the news professionally.
“I feel like we needed to make a change,” Budenholzer explained. “Throughout a 48-minute game, you got to figure out your best combinations, your best ways to try to have success. They’re two important players to us, two very good players for us. We just felt like we needed to make a change.”
The coach praised the professionalism of Beal and Nurkic, saying, “They want what’s best for the team. I have a lot of respect for them and an appreciation for them.” On this night, Beal and Nurkic (who scored five points and grabbed seven rebounds) provided a substantial boost to the Suns’ bench, with Phoenix’s reserves outscoring their Philadelphia counterparts 54-7.
“What he was able to do tonight really put us in a great spot, made a bunch of plays for himself, bunch of plays for his teammates,” Budenholzer noted, highlighting Beal’s contributions. “He’s been a pro. He was there for us tonight in a big way.”
When asked about the potential implications of the lineup change related to trade discussions, Beal responded assertively, “If so, I need to be addressed because I hold the cards. Until I am addressed and somebody says something differently, I’ll be a Sun.”
