Bradley Beal has procedure on broken nose; on track to return from hamstring injury: Sources

INDIANAPOLIS — Phoenix Suns star guard Bradley Beal has had a procedure done on his broken nose, sources informed The Republic on Sunday.

Beal suffered a broken nose in the second half of Jan. 26 game at Indiana. He’s worn a mask the last nine games he’s played.

The 6-4 guard is averaging 18.2 points in his first season in Phoenix.

Beal sat out Phoenix’s last game Wednesday before the NBA All-Star break against Detroit after suffering a left hamstring injury the day before against the Kings.

The Suns (33-22) are 14-4 in their last 18 games and fifth in the Western Conference.

"It's go time," Suns All-Star guard Devin Booker after Sunday's NBA All-Star game in Indianapolis. "It' time to turn it up a little bit. Let's compete at the highest level. Stay healthy. You want to peak at the right time. You want to play the right basketball and just keep getting better before the playoffs."

Sources inform The Republic Beal is on track to return Thursday in Phoenix's first game out of the break at Dallas in the first of a back-to-back. They play Friday at Houston.

"Good test for us," said Suns All-Star forward Kevin Durant after Sunday's All-Star game about the Mavericks. "They've been playing well lately. They've got some new additions to their team, which is more challenging. It's a great game to start the second half of the season."

Seventh in the West, Dallas has won its last six games to match the Celtics for the longest active winning streak. The Suns and Mavs have split their first two games. Thursday will be their third and final matchup of the regular season.

Dallas (32-23) is just a game behind the Suns and Pelicans (33-22), who have the same record as Phoenix, but lost their only game against the Suns in New Orleans.

Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.

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