The Phoenix Suns will be short a key perimeter defender Monday night, with Jordan Goodwin officially ruled out for the matchup against the San Antonio Spurs.
Goodwin had been listed as questionable because of a calf injury, but Suns head coach Jordan Ott shut the door on his availability during his pregame session. Phoenix is on the front end of a back-to-back, with the Los Angeles Clippers waiting Tuesday night, and the team appears to be taking the cautious route with Goodwin as it looks ahead to the second game.
"I think just after shootaround, and then leading into this, he’s going to sit this one out. He’s close, so we’ll hope for tomorrow. But he’s real close, but not tonight," Ott said of Goodwin.
The guard has now been out for a full week since suffering the injury. Even with Goodwin unavailable, the Suns have taken their last two games, though his return would give them back some defense and rebounding on the wing.
"Just to build up back into - I think it’s been a week exactly today," Ott said on what he needs to see from Goodwin before giving him the green light. "So just to do some intensity stuff and then get it [calf injury] ready to have enough of those competitive minutes for tomorrow night. That’s the goal."
Phoenix will also be without Mark Williams, who remains sidelined after shoulder surgery.
Opening tip is set for just after 7:00 pm MST at Mortgage Matchup Center.
The Spurs come in riding eight straight wins, and Ott pointed to the way their offense can stress a defense from multiple angles, especially with a three- or four-guard look.
"It kind of shifts when Wemby’s on the floor and when he’s not. But it’s their downhill ability. All of them [guards] can put the ball on the floor, even Wemby at his size, it’s unique," Ott said of the Spurs’ offense.
"All those guys are driving it to you, and then they share the basketball. So that part’s a little bit unique.
They have elite, high usage guards that can really drive it, but they can also really pass it. So it’s kind of like pick your poison.
Some of those possessions, if you want to pack the paint you’re probably going to give up some threes. If you want to take away the three-point shooting of some of those guys, it’s probably going to lead to some drives.
So they do such a good job of doing both, and that puts you in a tough bind defensively."
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