Russell Westbrook spent most of his first season with the Los Angeles Lakers fighting off a possible benching and his second season with them begrudgingly accepting it. It's an inevitable part of life in the NBA.

After losing seven of their last eight games, Phoenix Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer made a tough decision on Monday night—taking guard Bradley Beal out of the starting lineup and playing him off the bench. It was the first time since 2015-16 that the 31-year-old didn't start in an NBA game.

Bradley Beal came off the bench for the first time in nine years and scored 25 points as the Phoenix Suns ended a four-game skid with a 109-99 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night. Beal was shifted to a reserve role before the game and scored 20 points in the second half as the Suns overcame an early 12-point deficit and won for the second time in nine games.