The Phoenix Suns are excited to get their starting center back tonight after Jusuf Nurkic missed the last two games due to personal reasons.
Prior to his absence, Nurkic was just one of two Suns players to feature in every game through the beginning of the season alongside Jordan Goodwin.
Nurkic was initially only expected to miss Friday's game against the Sacramento Kings before his absence extended to Monday's Christmas Day matchup with the Dallas Mavericks.
In a recent interview with The Arizona Republic's Duane Rankin, Nurkic revealed that he visited his home country of Bosnia after losing his uncle.
“He was like my big brother,” Nurkic told Rankin. “One of the few people, maybe the only one to know me since I was born. Talked to him pretty much every day. Three times a day."
Acquired in a trade with the Portland Trail Blazers, Nurkic had come on strong as of late, notching at least 12 rebounds in his last five outings before temporarily departing the team.
Nurkic said he was appreciative of everybody in the organization through his difficult time.
“Big time,” Nurkic said. “Teammates, owners, the organization. I can’t thank them enough. I don’t take it for granted, especially being new here just a few months in. (Team owner Mat Ishbia), the whole organization. Teammates. Fully support by words, by commitment. I couldn’t do it without them.”
One prominent voice was Devin Booker:
“You have these personal relationships with guys that you spend more time with than your own families. We’re all out here making sacrifices for entertainment, for the likes of other people, but we do have real lives and whenever somebody is going through something, I know how important it is just to hear a voice, to know that people around you and people care," Booker said.
The Suns face the Houston Rockets later tonight. Phoenix has lost their last nine-of-twelve entering Wednesday.
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