Tragedy strikes the Suns! They headed into tonight’s Warriors clash hoping to shake off yesterday’s brutal loss against the Mavs. And it was a neck-and-neck competition from the get-go. However, things took an unfortunate turn when Royce O’Neale was forced to leave the game after a collision with Dennis Schroder led to a scary injury.

Well, the incident occurred merely seconds before halftime. Seeing an opening, Schroder drove to the basket for a layup. But Royce did a great job of defending him and even swatted his shot to force a turnover. Unfortunately, the Suns star landed on Schroder’s foot after the contest and brutally twisted his left ankle.

The play continued but Royce O’Neale fell to the floor and looked in immense agony as he favored the hurt ankle. Mike Budenholzer had no option but to call a timeout and the staff rushed to check on the forward. Although he was able to get up after some time, the Suns star checked out of the game and headed straight to the locker room.

Adding to the Suns fans’ concerns, it was later reported that he would not return for the remainder of the game and his night ended early without affecting the scoreboard. The replay showed the scary nature of the injury and Royce could miss significant time. Of course, that will be a massive blow because he hadn’t missed a game this season and became a key part of the rotation, averaging 10.8 points and nearly 6 rebounds. He is also shooting a career-high 44.8% from deep range. His absence only adds to the Suns’ problems.

Phoenix Suns’ misery continues with Royce O’Neale’s injury right after Jusuf Nurkic’s unwanted suspension

It has been a tough 24 hours for the Suns. Before Royce O’Neale got injured tonight, they were already dealing with a major issue. Jusuf Nurkic’s suspension! Yes, the big man has been suspended for three games for getting into a physical altercation with Naji Marshall last night and slapping him in the face. Tonight was his first game out serving the penalty.

Addressing the suspension, Budenholzer said ahead of the game, “Yeah, you know we accept the NBA’s work and what they’ve done to handle the situation. So, it’s unfortunate, we want to support Nurkić in every way we can. He’s a great teammate, and so we accept the league and respect the league for sure.”

Well, if Royce’s injury turns out to be serious, the Suns will also lose perimeter shooting while they are already dealing with the length problem after Nurk’s suspension. Devin Booker is also out with a groin injury. Missing so many stars is likely to hurt the team as they hope to climb from their current 10th spot in the West. So, the Suns fans should be praying for Royce’s speedy recovery!