Phoenix Suns guards Cameron Payne (wrist) and Aaron Holiday (ankle) have been ruled out for Friday's game against the New Orleans Pelicans. Payne continues to sit out with a wrist injury, but Holiday's injury is new. He played fairly well during Thursday's game and was gaining fantasy value. Now, Elfrid Payton will likely be forced into significant playing time on Friday. Although, Cameron Johnson is the better fantasy option between the two players. Devin Booker will likely start at point guard again and see increased ball handling responsibilities.

Phoenix Suns guard Cameron Payne (wrist) has been ruled out for Thursday's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The backup point guard was recently listed as day-to-day, but it doesn't sound like he's ready to play yet. Payne is expected to take over as the starting point guard with Chris Paul (thumb) sidelined. Now, Aaron Holiday or Elfrid Payton are likely to start on Thursday. Possibly, Landry Shamet (ankle) gets more minutes, but isn't the best standard league option. Fantasy managers will have to wait until Thursday for more information.

Phoenix Suns guards Cameron Payne (wrist) and Landry Shamet (ankle) will play in Thursday's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Payne has been out since late January, but is expected to slide into the starting five with Chris Paul (thumb) out possibly two months. Fantasy managers should jump on the waiver wire and see if Payne is available. Shamet hasn't played since January 31, but should see a boost in playing time as well. The loss of Paul should mean more playing time for Shamet with the second unit. Payne is the better fantasy option between the two, but Shamet is worth monitoring with Paul sidelined.

Phoenix Suns point guard Cameron Payne (wrist) and shooting guard/small forward Landry Shamet (ankle) are expected to suit up for the team's second-half opener vs. Oklahoma City next Thursday. Payne has been sidelined since Jan. 22 due to a wrist injury, with his likely return coming at a key point with Chris Paul (hand) banged up. Shamet has missed Phoenix's last nine games with an ankle sprain, although his production off the bench has been largely sporadic. It's unclear at this stage if either player would face a minutes restriction in their first game back, but both could be appealing DFS plays if Paul doesn't suit up against the Thunder.

Phoenix Suns guard Cameron Payne (wrist) won't be on the court for at least the next two weeks. He suffered a right wrist injury and will be re-evaluated in two weeks. In the meantime, Landry Shamet and Elfrid Payton should be asked to split up a majority of Payne's playing time. Neither of them should gain enough value to be worth snagging in most fantasy formats. Also, Payne is likely to miss more than two weeks and should be placed on the waiver wire in most formats right now.

Phoenix Suns point guard Cameron Payne played a big part in Monday's 109-104 road win at Sacramento, notching a team-high 24 points on 8-for-14 shooting in 22 minutes off the bench. He hit 4-for-6 from deep and handed out three assists while recording four rebounds and one steal with four turnovers. Payne has just returned from a hamstring problem and this performance was very encouraging. He impressed during the playoffs last season and the Suns have to monitor the minutes of a 36-year-old Chris Paul, so Payne could end up having a good regular season this time around as well. The 27-year-old could enjoy another fine scoring night in the next matchup against Portland, as Chauncey Billups's team gives up the most bench points per game in the league.

Phoenix Suns guard Cameron Payne (hamstring) will play during Saturday's game against the Atlanta Hawks. He missed each of the last five games while dealing with a lingering hamstring issue. Chris Paul has been getting extended run while Payne has been sidelined. It's uncertain if the Suns plan to limit Payne at all during his first game back. Fantasy managers in season long formats and plug Payne in their lineups. However, DFS players might want to avoid Payne for this first game back.

Phoenix Suns point guard Cameron Payne (hamstring) has been listed as questionable to play in Thursday's contest against Houston due to a strained right hamstring. Payne has missed each of Phoenix's four previous games with the injury, allowing Elfrid Payton to snag a handful of minutes off the bench. Payne, a breakout sensation from the team's run to the NBA Finals, is firmly behind Chris Paul on the team's depth chart and PG pecking order, capping his fantasy value primarily to smaller DFS slates. Check back prior to tip-off to see whether or not Payne is able to return to action.

Phoenix Suns guard Cameron Payne (hamstring) won't play on Tuesday night against the Pelicans. The 27-year-old continues to be bothered by a strain in his right hamstring, an ailment that will now force him to miss his fourth consecutive contest. In the meantime, Landry Shamet should continue to enjoy some extra minutes. However, he isn't a trustworthy option in seasonal formats, although he does have a risky upside in DFS contests.

Phoenix Suns point guard Cameron Payne (hamstring) has been ruled out for Saturday's contest against Portland due to a strained right hamstring. While Payne's absence could funnel more minutes toward Chris Paul and Devin Booker, the more likely scenario is that Elfrid Payton finds added run with the second unit as Phoenix finds itself on the second leg of a back-to-back. Payne has scuffled from the field in a small sample size this year, while his sub-20-minute allotment likely keeps him from season-long fantasy relevance regardless. His next opportunity to return to action comes Wednesday vs. the Kings.

PHOENIX (AP) — In his 16th season, Chris Paul took a risk, deciding that a young, unproven Phoenix Suns team was worth joining in his pursuit of his first NBA championship. To the surprise of just about everyone outside the locker room, it nearly worked. Now the biggest immediate question for the Suns is this: will Paul be back to try again? “I ain’t retiring, if that’s what you’re asking,” Paul said. “That’s out. So, back to work.” The hurt was fresh for the Suns on Tuesday night after the Milwaukee Bucks won their first championship in 50 years, beating Phoenix 105-98 to win the NBA Finals in six games. The Suns won the first two games of the series, only to lose the next four. The franchise has never won a title, losing in the Finals in 1976, 1993 and 2021. But in retrospect, it was still a remarkable season for the Suns, who were one of the league's worst teams in recent years. The Suns not only made the playoffs for the first time in 11 years, they made it all the way to the NBA Finals.... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Chris Paul's return to Phoenix's lineup Thursday night didn't provide the jolt the Suns hoped. Paul had 12 assists in 39 minutes, but made only five of his 19 shots from the floor and finished with 15 points in the Suns' 106-92 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals. The 36-year-old point guard missed the first two games of the series after he entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols on June 16. He was upgraded to available from probable on the league’s injury report earlier Thursday after he participated in the team’s shootaround. Paul didn't say what landed him in the league's protocols. He did say the hardest part of it was being separated from family. “(Stuff) happens, and it did. I’m here now. So I’m cool,” he said. Paul didn't score his first point until he made a free throw with 8:10 remaining in the second quarter. He missed his first six shots from the field, but was still effective in distributing the ball with three... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — Even in today's high-scoring NBA game, the dizzying pace of the Phoenix Suns point guard Cameron Payne stands out. He's just 6-foot-1, but has wiry strength and as soon as he gets the basketball, he's off and sprinting down. It might be a pass. It could be driving lay-up. And if he shoots one of his unorthodox, left-handed 3-point heaves, the shot goes in more often than it looks like it should. Payne plays so fast it looks like he's making up for lost time. In a way, he is. Payne has revived his career with the Suns, providing valuable minutes as second-team All-NBA point guard Chris Paul's backup. He's a major reason Phoenix has advanced to the Western Conference finals for the first time since 2010, where the Suns will face the winner of the Utah Jazz-Los Angeles Clippers series. Now with Paul in the COVID-19 protocol and his playing status uncertain, the Suns may rely on Payne even more. Judging from the past several months, Payne will be ready. “I've found my niche on... [More]

DENVER (AP) — The Denver Nuggets' season came to an ignominious end with Jamal Murray looking on from the bench and newly crowned league MVP Nikola Jokic watching from the locker room. The Phoenix Suns completed their second-round sweep with a 125-118 win Sunday night in Denver, holding off an inspired effort by the Nuggets following Jokic's stunning third-quarter ejection. Long have the Nuggets chafed at the lack of respect and calls that Jokic gets, particularly this season as the 7-foot Serbian blossomed into the NBA's runaway best player. Frustration boiled over 48 hours after Jokic humbly accepted the Maurice Podoloff Trophy that he dedicated to his teammates, coaches, trainers, front office and family. Infuriated at no whistle for the contact on his one-handed runner that bounced off the rim with the Nuggets down seven late in the third quarter, Jokic gestured at the official before racing to Cameron Payne, whom he swatted across the face as he took a hard swipe at the ball. That... [More]

DENVER (AP) — Jae Crowder received all sorts of quizzical text messages for his decision to sign with the Phoenix Suns in the offseason. What was he thinking? The Suns hadn't been to the playoffs in a decade. The West was stacked. “I look like a genius, huh?” cracked Crowder, who took his talents to the Suns after helping Miami reach the NBA Finals last season. “I knew the type of group these guys were. I felt like they were hungry. They wanted to do some special things and I wanted to be a part of it.” Behind the brilliant backcourt of Chris Paul and Devin Booker and steady contributions from the likes of Crowder, the Suns are roaring into the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2010, the last year they reached the postseason. The Suns completed a four-game sweep of the short-handed Denver Nuggets with a 125-118 win Sunday night in a testy game in which MVP Nikola Jokic was ejected in the third quarter for a flagrant foul on Cameron Payne. It was the seventh straight win... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — It would have been an awesome play even when Phoenix Suns Arena was empty: Cameron Payne floated a pass to a streaking Torrey Craig, who soared through the air before grabbing the alley-oop and flushing a powerful dunk with two hands. But there was one thing that made it even more special for the players. The crowd went absolutely nuts. As COVID-19 restrictions have slowly eased, the Phoenix Suns' fan base is relishing the team's return to playoffs for the first time in 11 years. The franchise welcomed a raucous sellout crowd of 16,219 on Monday night during its 122-105 victory in Game 1 over the Denver Nuggets. That's just below the arena's listed capacity of around 18,000. “This was the loudest game, to be honest, that I’ve ever played in,” Suns forward Deandre Ayton said. Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals is on Wednesday in Phoenix. Though there have been some well-documented instances of poor fan behavior during the NBA's postseason, there's little doubt that... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — It would have been an awesome play even when Phoenix Suns Arena was empty: Cameron Payne floated a pass to a streaking Torrey Craig, who soared through the air before grabbing the alley-oop and flushing a powerful dunk with two hands. But there was one thing that made it even more special for the players. The crowd went absolutely nuts. As COVID-19 restrictions have slowly eased, the Phoenix Suns' fan base is relishing the team's return to playoffs for the first time in 11 years. The franchise welcomed a raucous sellout crowd of 16,219 on Monday night during its 122-105 victory in Game 1 over the Denver Nuggets. That's just below the arena's listed capacity of around 18,000. “This was the loudest game, to be honest, that I’ve ever played in,” Suns forward Deandre Ayton said. Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals is on Wednesday in Phoenix. Though there have been some well-documented instances of poor fan behavior during the NBA's postseason, there's little doubt that... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Anthony Davis is playing like his superstar self again. At the same time, he's reminding everyone just how dangerous the Los Angeles Lakers can be. Davis had 42 points and 12 rebounds and the Lakers never trailed in a 123-110 win over the Phoenix Suns on Sunday night. “I feel good, man,” Davis said. “I’m getting my legs back, I’m getting my rhythm back. Getting my steps back on both ends of the floor, so feeling good. I’m getting better each game, getting my wind back each game. We’re headed in the right direction.” Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Alex Caruso each had 17 points and the short-handed Lakers won for just the third time in their past 11 games. Playing without LeBron James, who missed his fourth straight game for Los Angeles because of a sprained right ankle, and Kyle Kuzma, held out because of tightness in his back, an energized Davis led the way for the defending NBA champions as they try to avoid the play-in tournament. Davis set the tone with his one-handed... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Anthony Davis had 42 points and 12 rebounds and the Los Angeles Lakers never trailed in a 123-110 win over the Phoenix Suns on Sunday night. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Alex Caruso each had 17 points and the short-handed Lakers won for just the third time in their past 11 games. LeBron James missed his fourth straight game for Los Angeles because of a sprained right ankle, and Kyle Kuzma was held out because of tightness in his back. Cameron Payne had 24 points for the Suns, who have lost two of three following a five-game winning streak. Devin Booker added 21 points and Mikal Bridges 15. An energized Davis led the way for the defending NBA champions as they try to avoid the play-in tournament, with his one-handed alley-oop from Andre Drummond setting the tone as Los Angeles scored the first seven points. The Lakers led 30-19 after the first quarter. Los Angeles built its biggest advantage early in the fourth to go ahead by 23 points en route to avoid being swept in... [More]

PHOENIX (AP) — Phoenix Suns All-Star guard Devin Booker sat out Saturday night against the Denver Nuggets because of a left hamstring injury he suffered in overtime Friday night. Booker was hurt with about two minutes left in overtime when he landed awkwardly while going for a rebound. He slowly walked to the bench and didn't play during the final few possessions and the Nuggets rallied for a 130-126 victory. Suns coach Monty Williams said on Saturday that Booker's hamstring was sore and that his status for the coming week was uncertain. Phoenix won't play again until Wednesday when it hosts Oklahoma City. Booker leads the Suns with a 22.9 scoring average and had 31 on Friday. Williams wasn't sure who would start in Booker's place, adding that his production couldn't be replaced by just one player. When Booker went to the bench in overtime, he was replaced by Cameron Payne, who is averaging 7 points and about 17 minutes. The Suns are off to an 8-6 start this season and trying to make the playoffs for the first time in more than a decade. ___ More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports