Suns Rule Out Oso Ighodaro Against Thunder With Oblique Strain

The Phoenix Suns are officially shutting down Oso Ighodaro for Monday night's matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder thanks to a lingering oblique strain.

Oblique injuries are the absolute worst for big men who need to twist, rebound, and anchor a defense. Trying to play center in the NBA with a bad oblique is like trying to swing a golf club while someone stabs you in the ribs with a salad fork. It just does not work.

"Underdog NBA reported: 'Oso Ighodaro (oblique) listed out Monday.'"

Ighodaro originally tweaked the muscle during the season opener against the Portland Trail Blazers. He managed to log 14 minutes, putting up eight points and three boards, before exiting early and eventually missing Saturday's game against the Golden State Warriors.

This is a brutal early-season speed bump for a guy Phoenix just handed a shiny new contract extension to. The Suns front office bet heavily on the Marquette product's elite rim protection and playmaking to solidify their future rotation.

Now, Phoenix is staring down the barrel of playing a loaded Thunder squad while potentially missing their top two centers. That is the kind of frontcourt math that makes opposing guards start licking their chops.

Anyone looking at Oklahoma City player props in the paint tonight should probably factor in the missing resistance at the rim. The Suns desperately need Ighodaro to heal up quickly before this early-season absence turns into a long-term headache.