2 min read • January 24, 2022
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Advantage: Chris Paul and Devin Booker
The Suns have been the most consistent team in the NBA the past 2 seasons and are in the midst of one of their best runs in that time, going 9-1 in the last 10.
They are doing without big man DeAndre Ayton, who suffered a right ankle sprain on Jan. 16. It is his 2nd sprain on that ankle, the first coming in Dec. 2019 and causing him to miss 5 games.
Reserve centers Javale McGee, Bismack Biyombo, and Jalen Smith have stepped in well and made his absence more palatable for 36-9 Phoenix, who seem to continue to chug along as long as they have Chris Paul and Devin Booker.
The Jazz, meanwhile, have not fared nearly as well without their young star, Donovan Mitchell, who has been out since suffering a concussion vs the Lakers on Jan. 18.
Utah, 30-17, is 1-3 since the injury, including the 2nd half of the loss in Los Angeles and a 92-94 loss to the Warriors.
The Jazz were struggling before the 2-time all-star's concussion, going 3-5 in the previous 8 games after a 26-9 start that had them within a game-and-a-half of the No. 1 seed on Jan. 1.
Rudy Gobert and Bojan Bogdanovic are both also questionable after suffering injuries in Sunday's loss to the Warriors.
Gobert said after the game he felt a strain in his left calf during the game. He came into the contest nursing left ankle soreness.
Bogdanovic, meanwhile, injured his right knee late in the 4th quarter after a collision with Damion Lee drove his knee directly into the hardwood.
Both starters finished the contest, but because Monday's matchup is the 2nd game of a back-to-back, the pair could easily sit it out out of an abundance of caution.
The Suns are listed as 9.5-point favorites on FanDuel Sportsbook.
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