Suns at Bobcats
The Phoenix Suns face adversity for the first time as they begin a three-game, four-day road trip against the Charlotte Bobcats on Friday. The Suns, who were one of the league’s biggest surprises during a 5-2 start, have dropped four in a row and leading scorer Eric Bledsoe's status is uncertain due to a bruised shin. Charlotte is last in the league in scoring but has won six of seven games decided by six points or fewer, and inside force Al Jefferson could return from an ankle injury.
The young Suns did not manage a lead in the fourth quarter for the first time this season in a 113-106 loss to Sacramento on Wednesday. “It’s still early,” Phoenix guard Gerald Green told reporters. “We are still trying to figure things out.” Kemba Walker broke out of a shooting slump with a season-high 31 points in Charlotte’s 95-91 win over Brooklyn on Wednesday, snapping a three-game home losing streak.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Arizona (Phoenix), SportSouth (Charlotte)
ABOUT THE SUNS (5-6): Green scored 23 points in each of the last two games - making 10-of-16 from 3-point range - in a starting role with Bledsoe out and is averaging 16.9 over the last nine contests. Bledsoe averages 20.4 points and fellow guard Goran Dragic, who missed three games earlier in the season, is second on the team at 15.9. Phoenix is 1-4 on the road, but first-year coach Jeff Hornacek said the loss at home Wednesday was the first time his team didn’t put forth the proper effort needed to win and were not tough enough.
ABOUT THE BOBCATS (6-6): Jefferson averaged 15 points and 8.7 rebounds in the three games he played and his presence alone could help the Bobcats improve on their scoring average (89) and league-worst shooting percentage (40.2). Walker had made 18-of-75 from the field the previous five games while dealing with nagging injuries before draining 12-of-20 against Brooklyn. The Bobcats are among the league leaders in scoring defense (92.8) and average the third fewest turnovers (13.4).
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Charlotte G Gerald Henderson has scored in double figures in 10 of 12 games and averages 13.4 points
2. Phoenix is one of two teams in the league, along with Miami, that does not have a double-digit loss.
3. The Suns have won the last three in the series by an average of 10 points after dropping the previous four contests.