The Phoenix Suns will reportedly get a major boost ahead of tonight’s Game 4 matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers. After suffering a left ankle injury in the first quarter of Game 3, backup point guard Cameron Payne was forced to leave the contest with just two points through four minutes of play. He would not return later in the game.
These unfortunate circumstances came just two days after Payne dropped a game-high 29 points in the Suns’ Game 2 victory. But now after a few days of recovery and a limited practice on Friday, the sixth-year pro is set to make his return to the court.
Payne will be active for tonight’s matchup, per ESPN NBA insider Dave McMenamin.
Suns point guard Cameron Payne will play in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals tonight, league sources tell ESPN. Payne played just four minutes in Game 3 because of a turned left ankle. He registered a career-high 29 points along with 9 assists and 0 turnovers in Game 2.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) June 26, 2021
Typically serving as the Suns’ backup PG option, Cameron Payne saw an increased role in the first two games of the series as Chris Paul was sidelined by the NBA’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols.
Through those two wins, the breakout guard served as an offensive catalyst for the team — logging 40 combined points in Games 1 and 2.
While Paul was able to make his return for Game 3, Phoenix was clearly missing Payne’s scoring prowess. The Suns’ starting backcourt of Paul and Devin Booker recorded just 30 combined points on 10/40 shooting from the field as they stumbled to their first loss of the series 106-92.
With Payne now at their disposal, the Suns will look to bounce back against the Clippers in Los Angeles tonight at 9 p.m. ET.
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