Suns’ Jusuf Nurkic exits Rockets game, will not return after taking friendly fire from Josh Okogie

Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic exited during the second quarter of a Saturday night matchup with the Houston Rockets at Footprint Center after taking incidental contact from teammate Josh Okogie.

He was ruled out of the rest of the game with a neck spasm, the team announced. After the game the team called it a neck sprain.

Nurkic stayed down as the play went the other way, exiting on a dead ball immediately after. The early exit to the locker room three minutes before halftime plus Amar’e Stoudemire’s Ring of Honor induction at the break gave Nurkic extra time to be evaluated.

The big man had seven points, 10 rebounds and four assists in the 17 first-half minutes that he played before exiting.

Nurkic has missed just four games this season, two of which were due to personal reasons. His most recent missed game was Feb. 23 when he dealt with a right ankle sprain. The Suns lost that game as well as the other three games Nurkic has missed.