Dec 3, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) against the San Antonio Spurs in the first half of an NBA Cup game at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Kevin Durant is set to return Friday night, and that’s a good sign if you cheer on the Phoenix Suns. If Durant’s not around, the Suns typically don’t win.

The left foot injury that sidelined him for three games is in the rearview mirror. Naturally the Suns lost all three games Durant missed to fall to 1-9 without him.

In addition to that contest, we’ll check on the Indiana Pacers and Philadelphia 76ers. Joel Embiid seems to be settling down and setting drama aside.

There is only one NHL game on the slate—the Ottawa Senators at the Carolina Hurricanes—and we will dissect that one too.

PHOENIX SUNS AT UTAH JAZZ

You’d think a team with Devin Booker on it could win some games whenever Durant is sidelined, but that isn’t proving to be the case. Phoenix has to have Durant on the floor and is a robust 11-2 with him.

Perhaps new coach Mike Budenholzer is having trouble adjusting because the Suns shouldn’t lose 90 percent of the time when Durant is injured. The 36-year-old is thriving with averages of 25.8 points and 6.7 rebounds.

The Jazz are a team that makes no sense. Not due to their record, as they are as bad as 5-18 says they are. But look at their last three games: a 133-106 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, a 141-99 wipeout of the Portland Trail Blazers and then routed 141-97 by the Sacramento Kings.

And there’s this: Utah lost to the visiting Suns 120-112 on Nov. 12 when Durant was out with a calf injury. So how can the Jazz even put up a fight with Durant on the floor?

Suns -7 spread, -110 (DraftKings)

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INDIANA PACERS AT PHILADELPHIA 76ERS

Both teams are off to slow starts, but Philadelphia is getting things together by winning four of its last five games. Embiid had 31 points and 12 rebounds in Sunday’s 108-100 road win over the Chicago Bulls and has been able to rest his troublesome knee, setting him up for possibly another strong outing.

The 76ers recorded a 118-114 overtime win over the host Pacers on Oct. 27 behind a season-best 45 points from Tyrese Maxey on a night in which Embiid and Paul George were both out with knee injuries. George has just three 20-point outings in 12 games with his new squad, but two of them have come in the past three games.

Indiana has dropped five of its last six games and doesn’t possess the same magic it had last season. The Pacers lost at home 113-109 to lowly Charlotte on Sunday even though the Hornets tried to giftwrap the game by committing 25 turnovers. Indiana’s biggest lead in the game was two.

T.J. McConnell didn’t even have a 20-point outing before Sunday but poured in a career-high 30 on 14-of-19 shooting. Yeah, can’t trust the Pacers right now.

76ers -6.5 spread, -112 (DraftKings)

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OTTAWA SENATORS VS. CAROLINA HURRICANES

The Hurricanes have won two of their past three games following a three-game slide as they try to get their strong season back on track. Carolina started 14-4-0 but has since gone 4-5-1, including Tuesday’s 3-2 victory over the visiting San Jose Sharks.

That was the first of four straight in Raleigh for Carolina, and the Hurricanes already have a home win on the ledger against Ottawa this season, winning 4-0 on Nov. 16. Against the Sharks, the Hurricanes trailed entering the final period before getting goals from Brent Burns and Jalen Chatfield, the latter with the winning tally with 2:39 left.

Ottawa has won three of its past four games but is entering a stretch in which it will be getting familiar with beds, room keys and Jacuzzis all across North America. The Senators return home for one game against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday and then play nine straight on the road until next playing at home on Jan. 9.

Ottawa leading scorer Tim Stutzle has six assists over the past three games but doesn’t have a goal in the last five. But Drake Batherson was stellar with the hat trick in the Senators’ 5-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks on Wednesday to halt his six-game goal-less streak.

Under 6 goals, +100 (DraftKings)