Phoenix Suns player For the team matchup, Keita Bates-Diop was a last-minute scratch.
Before the news broke just before kick off, Bates-Diop was not listed among the injured parties.
Despite a number of injuries, the 27-year-old has been among the wings fighting for playing time on Frank Vogel’s squad. With an average of 5.2 points and 3.1 rebounds per game while playing in 22 games and starting eight of them, Bates-Diop has had his opportunities.
But since the second week of December, Bates-Diop’s playing time has decreased from 15-20 minutes per night to sporadic appearances in the last six games, including a DNP in the team’s victory over the Washington Wizards on Sunday.
The likes of Bates-Diop and Yuta Watanabe are seeing less playing time as a result of the rise of Nassir Little, Chimezie Metu, and Jordan Goodwin.
Bradley Beal (right ankle sprain), Damion Lee (knee), and Josh Okogie (right hip strain) are also out for Phoenix.
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