Excitement Surrounding the Debut of the Phoenix Suns’ “Big Three”
There was a lot of anticipation and excitement surrounding the highly anticipated debut of the new Phoenix Suns “Big Three” consisting of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal. The debut was supposed to take place in a matchup against the Golden State Warriors, but fans were disappointed to hear that Durant had been ruled out due to a lingering ankle injury.
The news of Durant’s absence was initially missed by many, as a post on Xwitter from The Athletic’s Shams Charania reporting on the injury received less than half the views of a post the previous day about the design of the Los Angeles Lakers’ In-Season Tournament banner. However, Charania’s post the following day announcing Durant’s readiness to play against the Brooklyn Nets garnered over 600,000 views in less than an hour.
Unfortunately, for sports fans, this highly anticipated debut was not scheduled to be nationally televised. Unless NBATV made a last-minute schedule change, most fans would have to rely on social media to keep up with the game.
The Phoenix Suns were considered the team in the Western Conference with the best chance to take down the defending NBA Champion Denver Nuggets going into the 2023-24 season. However, due to various circumstances, including injuries and other challenges, the Suns had yet to showcase their new lineup. After nearly two full months and multiple setbacks, it seemed that the trio would finally take the court together.
Charania’s report, accompanied by a picture of Durant, Beal, and Booker in uniform, provided fans with hope that the debut would indeed happen. While Charania mentioned that Durant was “expected” to play, there was still room for doubt. Given the Suns’ history with injuries, any uncertainty had to be taken seriously. Fans were hopeful that Durant’s previous ankle injury in warmups last season wouldn’t repeat itself.
With a few hours left until tip-off, fans eagerly awaited the debut of the Suns’ dynamic trio. The matchup against the Brooklyn Nets was one of the only two compelling games on the Wednesday NBA calendar. The other game featured an In-Season Tournament Knockout-Round rematch between the Indiana Pacers and the Milwaukee Bucks. However, neither of these games were nationally televised due to ESPN airing the 2024 SEC football schedule release and a new 30 for 30 documentary about Reggie White.
While some fans may have been interested in the documentary, the real excitement lied in witnessing the debut of the 2023-24 Suns. Fans urged the trio to take the court, as Shams’ picture of Durant, Beal, and Booker in uniform begged for it.
In conclusion, the excitement surrounding the debut of the Phoenix Suns’ “Big Three” was palpable. Fans eagerly awaited the matchup against the Golden State Warriors, only to be disappointed by Durant’s absence. However, with news of Durant’s readiness to play against the Brooklyn Nets, hope was restored. Despite the lack of national television coverage, fans were determined to follow the game through social media. The debut of the Suns’ dynamic trio was highly anticipated, and fans were eager to see their favorite players take the court together.
