PHOENIX (AP) — Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal are both out with injuries for the Phoenix Suns in their game against the Utah Jazz on Friday night, one day after a trade deadline where both players were the subject of multiple trade rumors.
Durant (ankle) is missing his second straight game while Beal (left great toe) was seen hobbling late in the Suns' loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night. Both were listed as questionable on the injury report earlier Friday.
The disappointing Suns have a 25-25 record this season and are on a three-game losing streak.
The Suns ended up being relatively quiet at the trade deadline, though they did trade disgruntled center Jusuf Nurkic and a first-round pick to the Charlotte Hornets for Cody Martin and Vasa Micic.
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Phoenix Sun guard Bradley Beal, left, shoots near Oklahoma City Thunder guards Isaiah Joe, middle, and Alex Caruso, right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Kyle Phillips)
Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) shoots over Portland Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant (9) during the second half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Amanda Loman)
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Morez Johnson Jr. scored a career-high 29 points, including 17 in the first half, and No. 2 Michigan beat No. 24 Southern California 96-66 on Friday night.
Roddy Gayle Jr. added 12 points for the Wolverines (13-0, 3-0 Big Ten), and Will Tschetter, Trey McKenney and L.J. Cason each scored 10.
Michigan is off to its best start since it won 17 straight games to start the 2018-19 season.
Jaden Brownell scored 16 points and Erza Ausar added 15 for the Trojans (12-2, 1-2), whose only previous loss was by eight points against Washington on Dec. 6. Chad Baker-Mazara, who came into the game averaging 21 points, was hampered by early foul trouble and finished with 12 points on 3-of-11 shooting.
Michigan starting guard Nimari Burnett was helped from the court with 16:25 left after falling during a battle under the basket. He went down to the floor and appeared to be bleeding above his eyebrow and holding his ankle. He sat on the bench the rest of the night.
The Wolverines bolted out to an 11-0 lead thanks to a defense that forced six early turnovers. USC got within five points twice in the first half and Michigan responded with a 32-19 run to build a 49-31 halftime advantage.
USC got no closer the rest of the way.
USC: At No. 9 Michigan State on Monday.
Michigan: Visits Penn State on Tuesday.
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Michigan center Aday Mara, front, drives against Southern California center Gabe Dynes, back, during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, in Ann Arbor, Mich. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
