Latest news with #JAMSessionPodcast
Yahoo
7 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts addresses injuries to Kahleah Copper, Natasha Mack
Phoenix Mercury coach Nate Tibbetts addressed injuries to forward Kahleah Copper (knee) and center Natasha Mack (back) before the team's season opener against the Seattle Storm. 'I think it's the beauty of sports and the [expletive] part about sports, right? People don't care about injuries,' Tibbetts said. 'The games just keep coming. I feel really bad for Kah, she had a great camp. I feel unfortunate for our team.' Advertisement Copper, 30, was the third-leading scorer in the WNBA (21.1 points per game) in her first season with Phoenix. She is expected to lead the team into a new era without Diana Taurasi (retired) and Brittney Griner (signed a 1-year deal with the Atlanta Dream). Copper will miss at least 12 games, according to her return timetable of four to six weeks. Copper played in the Mercury's 85-84 preseason loss to the Las Vegas Aces on May 6. She did not play in last Saturday's 84-79 loss to the Golden State Valkyries with a back issue. Tibbetts said Copper suffered a knee injury in practice, leading to her arthroscopy. Advertisement Asked about Mack, Tibbetts was unsure when her back issue occurred. Mack played in both of the Mercury's preseason games, starting at center. She will be out for two to three weeks, the team announced. Mack became a fan favorite for the Mercury last season and spoke following their latest preseason game about her growth. 'This year, I'm trying to install professional habits on myself,' Mack said. 'I came back ready to run, do whatever whenever and just what I need to do.' Phoenix will still have two players of its 'Big 3,' Satou Sabally and Alyssa Thomas, on the floor against the Storm. Sabally was traded in the offseason from the Dallas Wings, and Thomas was moved from the Connecticut Sun to the Mercury. Advertisement 'There might be some bumps along the way, but [every] team goes through that,' Tibbetts said. 'Even if Kah and Mack were playing tonight, we wouldn't be at our best. I would've slept better last night, but this is what it is.' Listen to the latest podcast episode of the Suns JAM Session Podcast below. Stay up to date on every episode, subscribe to the pod on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, YouTube Podcasts, Amazon Music, Podbean, Castbox. Please subscribe, rate, and review. More from
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Is it time for the Suns to sit Devin Booker and Bradley Beal?
Is it time for the Suns to sit Devin Booker and Bradley Beal? Phoenix Suns v Dallas Mavericks I feel like the poor electrician outside Nakatomi Tower on Christmas Eve, 1988. Just a blue-collar guy with a clipboard and a conscience, dragged into a chaotic opera of egos and explosions. The FBI is barking in my ear, frothing at the mouth, demanding I cut the power — the whole city grid — because some suit with a badge thinks it'll solve everything. Advertisement And as I sit here, staring down the barrel of the Phoenix Suns' final two games, I can hear his voice echoing through the hollow caverns of my basketball soul. 'Shut it down. Shut it down now!' The Phoenix Suns' season, for all intents and purposes, is over. Their loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder last night sealed the fate of their campaign, ensuring they won't make an appearance in the Play-In Tournament, let alone the playoffs. With two games remaining, what's the point? What's the point of sending Devin Booker out there to keep grinding? Why have Bradley Beal bother to push through another lackluster performance? Advertisement There's nothing left to play for. No All-NBA spots to vie for, no playoff berth to chase. It's just pride now. And frankly, that's something this team has struggled to show all season. The fire's been missing, the heart has wilted, and now all that's left is the bitter taste of what could have been. As the final two games slip off the calendar, Phoenix Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer might as well slap a DNP next to Devin Booker and Bradley Beal's names. No reason to risk Devin getting hurt before the summer break. And with Beal's injury history, the risk of him taking a step too far seems all but inevitable. Call it what it is. Like the poor electrician outside Nakatomi Tower, I'm yelling into the void: 'Shut it down!' Listen to the latest podcast episode of the Suns JAM Session Podcast below. Stay up to date on every episode, subscribe to the pod on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, YouTube Podcasts, Amazon Music, Podbean, Castbox. Please subscribe, rate, and review. Advertisement More from
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Things to remember with the Suns playing well right now
When you have a sample that spans more than a season, hesitation is warranted when assessing a team. The latest iteration of the Phoenix Suns has consistently shown glimpses of what they are capable of, but it usually remains at that. So yes, it's a positive sign that the Suns are playing well and just beat the dominant Cleveland Cavaliers squad on Friday, but hopes should not get too high. When the team started the year 8-1, everything looked luminous and upbeat. Since then, the team has gone 26-36. When the squad won 8-of-10 games in the second half of January, Phoenix had their worst month in seasons, winning just three games in February. It is important to note that the team has had recent success when Collin Gillespie plays more and Bradley Beal is out of the lineup. The team's 3-0 when the Villanova alum starts, and they boast a strong record when Devin Booker and Kevin Durant are in without Beal. While broadcaster Eddie Johnson said during the win on Friday that the Suns are playing their best ball of the season, consistency has been this team's kryptonite. With key contributors Grayson Allen, Mason Plumlee, and Beal all expected to return before the regular season ends, consistency will likely remain a question. Mike Budenholzer has shown in his first season coaching the team that he will mix up lineups and rotations often, so expect some players to have a role change when the team is fully healthy again. Much has been made of his decisions to start and bench Ryan Dunn throughout the season. With their toughest and last stretch of the season coming up, the team has about an even split of home and road games left, six at home and five on the road. Phoenix is actually a solid 22-13 at home, but a poor 12-24 outside of Arizona this season. The narrative can't change about the team's season with their last 11 games no matter the result of them, but they can put themselves in a spot to play games beyond the regular season and end the year on a high note with a lot of the season filled with gut-wrenching and mind-boggling defeats. Listen to the latest podcast episode of the Suns JAM Session Podcast below. Stay up to date on every episode, subscribe to the pod on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, YouTube Podcasts, Amazon Music, Podbean, Castbox. Please subscribe, rate, and review. More from Recap: Denver Nuggets Hold Off Phoenix Suns 120-104 The Dudley Double: Suns forward will match your donations to Bright Side Night! What the heck are the Phoenix Suns doing on offense? Locked On Suns Tuesday: Should we start to worry about Devin Booker's shooting? Gamethread: Suns take on the Nuggets Jared Dudley emerges as the Phoenix Suns' new sixth man
