The Phoenix Suns secured a hard-fought 112-107 victory over the Dallas Mavericks, but the result came with a high cost. Despite adding another W to their record, the night quickly turned gloomy as Devin Booker & Co. faced two injury setbacks. That too, within minutes of each other. For a team that battled repeated fitness struggles, this double whammy couldn’t have come at a worse time.
The concerns deepened when Jalen Green was forced to exit the floor just 4 minutes into the game. Not long after, promising Suns wing Jordan Goodwin headed to the locker room with only minutes left in the second quarter. Initial updates ruled Green questionable to return, but Goodwin was ruled out for the rest of the game. While uncertainty loomed after the final buzzer, insider Duane Rankin delivered the initial update.
Speaking on their injuries, Jordan Otts confirmed that Jalen Green dealt with a right knee injury while Jordan Goodwin suffered a left ankle injury. He added that both starters “tried to come out back in, [but] they just weren’t able to do it.”
Suns coach Jordan Ott spoke to @DuaneRankin about Khaman Maluach’s 1st start this season and testing his stamina (season-highs 11 reb, 3 blk, 30 min) in win vs Mavericks.
Ott added why Jalen Green (right knee) and Jordan Goodwin (left ankle) left the game at halftime. pic.twitter.com/v2FLGCF5Tq
— Dana Scott (@iam_DanaScott) April 9, 2026
Jalen Green, in his first season with the Suns, is on a phenomenal run with an 18.3 points per game average (third-highest in team). But it hasn’t been a smooth-sailing season for him, as he has already dealt with hip and hamstring injuries. Jordan Goodwin, on the other hand, is in the midst of his breakout season, having registered 112 three-pointers this season. For comparison, he had tallied only 106 of them across the past three seasons. The duo offers a production that the Suns cannot afford to lose.
Will the double whammy be a costly end for Devin Booker & Co.?
Injuries have shadowed the Suns throughout the season. It has consistently disrupted their rhythm at multiple stages. After Jalen Green’s initial hamstring struggle that restricted him to just 32 games, the Valley side’s front court took a hit. Dillon Brooks, who has had a career year, and Mark Williams took the bench to deal with their respective injuries. With the amount of injuries piling up, Ott did grow a little antsy.
“We just want everyone back,” he said on March 22. “Into rhythm would be a blessing. But we just want everyone back. Said it constantly, tried to stay away from it the last couple of weeks. That’s what we’d like to do.”
Brooks has returned, while Williams was ruled out for the Mavericks game. And with Jordan Goodwin and Jalen Green out of the picture, their absence could prove costly in the postseason. Green has faced just 7 playoff games, last season for the Rockets against the Warriors, where he averaged only 13.3 ppg with a poor field goal percentage of 37.2% and 3PFG of 29.5%. But going by the run he was on, Green would have definitely made an impact.
Meanwhile, Jordan also enters unfamiliar territory. After seeing limited minutes in his previous playoff outings, his expanded role with the Suns has positioned him for a breaking point. Losing both players now means missing out on two players who are eager to prove themselves. Hopefully, they escape with minor injuries and return to the Play-In game.
