Dillon Brooks has led a controversial 2025-26 campaign, but amidst the chaos, he has steadily established himself as the Phoenix Suns’ defensive cornerstone and a surprising offensive engine. Although his presence guarantees on-court drama, fans will have to wait a bit longer to see “Dillon the Villain” back on the floor.
As the Suns prepare for a high-stakes Tuesday night clash against the Denver Nuggets at the Footprint Center, Brooks will remain sidelined due to the injury sustained last month. His absence comes at a critical juncture for Phoenix, which currently sits seventh in the Western Conference with a 40-32 record, trailing the fourth-seeded Nuggets (44-28).
Even though the Suns recently snapped a five-game losing streak with a statement 120-98 win over the Toronto Raptors, facing Denver without their premier perimeter stopper will be a challenge.
Dillon Brooks to Miss Suns vs. Nuggets Clash
Dillon Brooks is listed as OUT on the Suns’ injury report for Tuesday night’s match against the Nuggets. As reported by Rotowire, Brooks is continuing to battle back from a broken left hand. While he recently had his cast removed, he still has hurdles to clear before returning to game action. He can be considered doubtful for Saturday’s game against the Utah Jazz until further notice.
Brooks has been out since Feb. 21 after suffering a broken left hand during the Suns’ game against the Orlando Magic. He exited with 4:46 remaining in the first quarter, having played only seven minutes. Before the injury, he was enjoying a career-best run, averaging 20.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.8 assists while shooting 44% from the field.
“Next week they’ll be back. I think it’s safe to say you can look for Dillon early part of the trip next week … for Mark, probably the end of the trip.”@Gambo987 gives an update on when the Suns expect Dillon Brooks and Mark Williams to be back in the lineup as they approach… pic.twitter.com/9FlxDxkF9T
— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) March 24, 2026
His absence on the court was immediately felt by the Suns, who struggled to find a consistent wing scorer with his veteran toughness. Brooks’ injury came the day after star guard Devin Booker suffered a strained right hip on Feb. 20, 2026, against the San Antonio Spurs. But with Booker’s return and his consistency, averaging 25.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game while shooting 45.2% from the floor, the Suns will have someone to hold their ground against Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets.
How Will Phoenix Navigate the Play-In Race Without Dillon Brooks?
Dillon Brooks has played in 50 games this season and will miss his 15th consecutive game on Tuesday. The impact of his absence is evident in the numbers. The Suns have a defensive rating of 113.9, which ranks 11th in the NBA, and allow 111 points per game. Brooks remains the aggressive point-of-attack for this defensive system.
Fortunately for Suns fans, reports suggest that Brooks could return as early as next week’s road trip. Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro reported on the two Suns starters, Brooks and Mark Williams, noting his expectation that both will get back into the lineup next week. Brooks is likely to return early in the trip, while Williams may return later.
With the play-in tournament looming, getting a healthy Brooks back to pair with Booker will boost the Suns’ chances.
