The Phoenix Suns might be struggling badly with injuries right now, so it was a pleasant surprise to see Jalen Green appear on the second night of a back-to-back versus the Portland Trail Blazers.
Which was just as well, because if not for his involvement the 92-77 loss could have been even more embarrassing for the franchise.
Green admits legs are heavier than ever right now
The 24-year-old didn't exactly put The Valley at ease in the aftermath of the defeat however, telling Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic that if anything his legs are getting heavier as the season progresses.
Jalen Green on being go-to player with Devin Booker (hip) and Dillon Brooks (hand) OUT: "I've never going to complain about having the opportunity to be that. It's just more I got to get my wind and legs underneath me. Seems like every game my legs are getting heavier and… pic.twitter.com/83j7bhcZf6
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) February 23, 2026
In some ways this is to be expected, and if the Suns were fully healthy right now this would not even be a problem.
Only they don't have Devin Booker, Dillon Brooks or Grayson Allen, and so needed Green to give his team 22 minutes against an opponent that won't even make the playoffs.
That night not sound like a lot of time on the court, until you realize it is four more minutes than he has averaged so far this season and came one night after playing 37 minutes in a double-overtime victory against the Orlando Magic.
For Green to admit that his legs are heavy right now is concerning because we've seen him struggle badly with a hamstring issue this season, yet the Suns need him to be out there as much as he can manage.
But if he does continue to push himself despite the clear fatigue and ends up getting injured again, the Suns can kiss their postseason hopes goodbye.
The fact they have him out there at all when so many on the roster have been hit by injury is a minor miracle, but pinning all of their hopes on him offensively feels like a recipe for disaster.
It is a difficult situation for head coach Jordan Ott to balance, although Green did also say during the same media availability that he was never going to complain about being the go-to guy with so many of his teammates unavailable.
The Suns have only 24 regular season games remaining, and at this point their strength of schedule has thankfully dropped to league average.
They will only travel as far as Sacramento between now and the end of the first week of March as well, giving Green some time to catch his breath. It sounds like he needs it.