The Suns could be down two starters for Game 6 against the Nuggets.
In addition to Chris Paul, who remains out after suffering a groin injury in Game 2 of the series, Deandre Ayton is on Phoenix's injury report for Thursday's contest. Ayton played in the first five games of the Western Conference Semifinals, but his status for Game 6 is up in the air due to a rib injury.
What's next for Ayton? Here's everything we know about his injury ahead of Game 6.
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What is Deandre Ayton's injury?
Ayton appeared to suffer an injury to his rib cage in Phoenix's Game 5 loss to Denver.
Following the game, Ayton said that he had a "bone-on-bone" collision with Nuggets guard Bruce Brown at the end of the first quarter. He stayed on the defensive end of the court and was slow to close out on a Michael Porter Jr. 3-pointer when the Nuggets returned on offense.
"I had my breath, it just hurt a little bit where I couldn't even close out," Ayton said. "I just needed a minute or two."
Here's a video of the collision between Ayton and Brown:
Suns head coach Monty Williams took Ayton out of the game following Porter's 3-pointer. Ayton returned with 8:15 remaining in the second quarter.
Ayton finished with 14 points and nine rebounds in 31 minutes.
What is a rib contusion?
A rib contusion — or bruised rib — typically occurs due to a fall or blow to the chest area. Bruising occurs when blood vessels break, resulting in pooled blood below the surface of the skin which causes discoloration. Depending on the severity, rib contusions may cause pain and tenderness, often making it painful to breathe. Though less severe than cracked ribs or a fracture, rib contusions can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks to fully recover.
How long will Deandre Ayton be out?
Ayton told reporters that he feels "good" and won't feel the injury in Game 6 because of his adrenaline.
However, Ayton was "walking out of the arena talking about pain in his ribs," per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. According to The Arizona Republic's Dana Scott, Ayton also had a bandage over his rib cage and said "I need medication for this" while in the locker room.
The Suns officially listed Ayton as questionable for Game 6 with a rib contusion. The Athletic's Shams Charania later reported that Ayton has been ruled out.
Suns vs. Nuggets schedule
Here is the full schedule for the second-round series between the Suns and Nuggets, with games airing on TNT and ESPN:
| Date | Game | Time (ET)/Result | TV channel |
| April 29 | Game 1 | Nuggets 125, Suns 107 | TNT |
| May 1 | Game 2 | Nuggets 97, Suns 87 | TNT |
| May 5 | Game 3 | Suns 121, Nuggets 114 | ESPN |
| May 7 | Game 4 | Suns 129, Nuggets 124 | TNT |
| May 9 | Game 5 | Nuggets 118, Suns 102 | TNT |
| May 11 | Game 6 | 10 p.m. at Suns | ESPN |
| May 14 | Game 7* | TBD at Nuggets | TBD |
* If necessary
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