Phoenix Suns hope Jusuf Nurkic’s ankle injury is ‘short-term’, will miss Utah Jazz game

On By Littum

SALT LAKE CITY — Phoenix Suns starting big Jusuf Nurkic has been ruled out of Tuesday’s NBA Cup game against the Utah Jazz with left ankle soreness.

The 7-footer is averaging 9.9 points and 10.2 rebounds in his second season in Phoenix.

“We’ll see how he feels tomorrow,” Suns coach Mike Budenholzer said before Tuesday’s game. “Hopefully it’s short-term. I don’t think it’s one thing.”

Budenholzer said Mason Plumlee will get the start for Nurkic, who played only the first half of Sunday’s overtime loss to the Sacramento Kings.

Nurkic did not score on 0-for-4 shooting in 15 minutes of action against the Kings.

Nurkic’s absence will also lead to rookie big Oso Ighodaro playing on Tuesday night. Ighodaro scored five points in 10 minutes against the Kings.

The Suns (8-2) are at the beginning of a four-game road trip that continues Wednesday against the Kings.

Rookie Ryan Dunn will make his fourth career start Tuesday when he replaces Kevin Durant in the lineup for the second straight game.

Durant is out with a left calf strain that will be re-evaluated the weekend of the 23rd-24th. November based on the two-week timetable the Suns gave when he announced his injury Saturday.

Suns two-way player Collin Gillespie is also out with a fractured right ankle in a G League game with the Valley Suns.

“It’s unfortunate,” Budenholzer said. “He’s had a great summer. We’ve said several times how excited we are to have Collin and him as part of our program. We feel like he’s someone who can help us in NBA games. G League is important to us. How that team works and those guys grow and develop, I think he’s a big part of that.

Gillespie, a point guard, will be reevaluated in four weeks.

“It’s a tough blow for him and for us, but hopefully, the timeline, we can stick with it and he’ll be back before we know it,” Budenholzer continued. “He’s tough. He’s a competitor. I’m sure he’ll approach his rehab that way.”

Do you have opinions about the current state of the sun? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at [email protected] or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.

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This article originally appeared on the Arizona Republic: Jusuf Nurkic was sidelined for the Suns-Jazz NBA Cup game with an ankle injury