Ighodaro's Minutes Jump +12 a Night With a Teammate Out
When a teammate sits, Oso Ighodaro's playing time and scoring both climb well past his season numbers.
Oso Ighodaro played 34.2 minutes a night over his last three games with the Suns, closing on April 27, 2026, in the 2025-26 season. That is 12 minutes more than his season average of 22.5. The jump came specifically with a teammate out of the lineup.
The extra time on the floor came with more scoring too. Ighodaro averaged 10 points a game over that three-game stretch, up from his season mark of 6.5. A jump of that size in both minutes and points points to a real change in what the Suns ask of him.
Across the full 2025-26 season, the Suns played 86 games. Over that span, Ighodaro's role stayed close to 22.5 minutes and 6.5 points most nights. The last three games stand out against that full-season baseline. They show what Ighodaro looks like as a bigger part of the rotation, when the Suns need someone to fill in.
For this higher level to hold, the missing teammate needs to stay out of the lineup. Every game that player sits keeps Ighodaro in the expanded role that produced 34.2 minutes and 10 points a night.
For it to change, the teammate needs to return. Once that happens, Ighodaro's minutes and points would likely settle back toward his season numbers of 22.5 and 6.5. The one scenario where the increase sticks past that return is if the Suns choose to keep Ighodaro at this level anyway, turning a three-game stretch into a lasting shift in his role.