Phoenix Suns guard Dillon Brooks suffered a broken left hand during a 113-110 double-overtime win against the Orlando Magic on Saturday night. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Brooks is expected to be sidelined for 4-6 weeks.
In addition, star guard Devin Booker will miss at least a week due to a right hip strain, leaving the seventh-seeded Suns without key players. This raises questions about how these injuries will affect Phoenix’s playoff chances.
Setbacks Challenge Phoenix Suns’ Journey
Brooks is enjoying his best season in his first year with the Suns, averaging 20.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.0 steals with a shooting percentage of 44%. Known for his tough playing style, Brooks has become one of the league’s most improved players, increasing his scoring by 6.9 points from the previous season.
Brooks has significantly contributed to the Suns’ style of play and is a vital part of a young team that includes Jalen Green, Ryan Dunn, Mark Williams, and Collin Gillespie.
Phoenix (33-25) is also dealing with Booker’s absence, as he missed eight of the last ten games before the All-Star break and will miss more time now. Booker averages 24.7 points, 6.1 assists, and 3.9 rebounds, making his absence feel significant at this critical juncture.
Who Will Step Up for the Suns?
Suns head coach Jordan Ott, named Western Conference Coach of the Month in January, faces the challenge of leading the team without its two top players.
Ryan Dunn will need to step up in Brooks’s absence and with Jordan Goodwin (calf) also out. Dunn has improved since last year, averaging 5.8 points per game, but his value goes beyond the stat sheet.
Gillespie and Green need to deliver strong offensive performances. Gillespie, one of the league’s most improved players, averages 14.3 points, 4.7 assists, and 4.2 rebounds while shooting 41.9% from three-point range. Green, who averages 13.3 points and 2.4 assists, has played only ten games this season and will need to become the scorer the Suns envisioned when they drafted him second overall in 2021.
This season, the Suns are 6-8 without Booker and 3-5 without Brooks. With 24 games left, they are just two-and-a-half games ahead of the eighth-seed Golden State Warriors and two games behind the sixth-seed Minnesota Timberwolves.
The final two months of the regular season will be crucial for Ott and a roster working to regain stability.