Just when you think things could not get worse injury-wise for the Suns, it always does. This team has yet to play a full game healthy this season, as the injury bug continues to lurk and strike the Suns. The latest is Dillon Brooks, who just sustained a broken hand in today’s Suns contest against the Orlando Magic.
This follows the hip strain Devin Booker suffered in the Suns’ last game, and he will be reevaluated in one week. Let’s also not forget that Jordan Goodwin also had a calf injury and had to leave this game as well, alongside Brooks.
For Brooks, this is really tough as he was one of the main energy pieces for this Suns team when overcoming the injury obstacles. With him not getting one and being out for the foreseeable future, this completely alters the Suns’ starting lineup, as he is a major component of their success. Brooks this season is averaging a career-high 21.2 points per game while shooting efficiently(44/34/86).
With him also being a key part of this defensive identity, he will truly be missed on that end as well. The Suns now have to ask big things out of Ryan Dunn and Jordan Goodwin (depending on his injury) on the defensive end to step up. Players like Collin Gillespie and Grayson Allen are also going to have to step up, as they have this year with their relentlessness to fight on defense,
With the expectation that Brooks will be out for at least a month, maybe two, with this injury, the Suns will have to rely on the depth of this team to really come through. Hopefully, Booker is not out for long, and Jalen Green can find his rhythm in this offense as well. If those things succeed, the absence of Brooks will be felt, but hopefully, it will not slow this team’s momentum.
That said, Brooks is a major x-factor for this team, and he will be truly missed. I wish him a speedy recovery, as the Suns will now need the young guns to really deliver and rise to the occasion, as they have all year. Let’s hope by playoff time, the injury bug truly does leave the Valley for good!