The Phoenix Suns lost one of their most active bench pieces Monday night, with Jordan Goodwin ruled out for the rest of the game against the Golden State Warriors after leaving with a calf injury late in the first half.
Goodwin headed to the locker room while hobbling and did not return, getting ruled out just as the third quarter was set to begin. Before exiting, he had posted four points, two rebounds, two assists, one steal and a minus-2 in the box score.
At the time of publish, Phoenix was up 60-54 on Golden State.
The injury comes at a bad moment for the Suns, who are now down one of their top reserve rebounders and a player whose energy has become a steady part of what Jordan Ott leans on. Goodwin’s nightly hustle has made him a useful piece for Phoenix, especially in the areas that don’t always show up in the flashiest way.
“I am just trying to make it difficult for them, trying to get the shot clock down. Just get extra possessions for our team but I do take on a lot of assignments, and it’s not just me,” Goodwin said last season on his role for Phoenix.
“I got the bigs behind me, guys giving me good shifts and stuff like that, so it’s really a team effort. I’m just trying to make it difficult.”
Phoenix brought Goodwin back this offseason on a three-year, $19 million deal, a move that drew praise from the organization. After the signing, general manager Brian Gregory said, “Jordan plays with relentless effort and competes every game with the kind of toughness that defines our culture,”
“He has a unique ability to create extra possessions through his offensive rebounding and by forcing turnovers. His competitiveness and energy are invaluable, and he is a perfect fit for what we are building in Phoenix.”
Through this season, Goodwin is averaging 8.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists.
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