Dillon Brooks Drops 40 as Suns Grind Out Gritty Win Without Booker, Green
PHOENIX - Back-to-backs in the NBA don’t come with bonus points, but they do reveal something deeper than the box score: resilience, execution, and trust in the system. And on a night when the Phoenix Suns were missing two of their top scorers in Devin Booker and Jalen Green, they leaned into that identity - and came out with a gutsy win over the East-leading Detroit Pistons.
The headliner? Dillon Brooks, who delivered a career-high 40 points in a performance that was less about fireworks and more about fundamentals.
He wasn’t just hot - he was intentional. Brooks attacked early in possessions, spaced the floor with purpose, and brought a defensive edge that set the tone from the jump.
For a Suns team that needed someone to step up, he didn’t just answer the call - he took over the room.
Now, the challenge shifts quickly. The Cleveland Cavaliers are in town for a Friday night rematch, and while both teams are still dealing with injuries, the chessboard looks a little different this time around.
When these two squads met on New Year’s Eve, Cleveland walked away with a 129-113 win - a game that turned physical early and stayed that way. But the Cavs will be without two of their key pieces this time in Evan Mobley and Darius Garland. Phoenix, meanwhile, will still be without Booker, but Jalen Green is off the injury report, signaling a potential return from the nagging right hamstring issue that’s kept him sidelined.
Green’s status will be one of the key storylines heading into tonight’s matchup. Even if he’s on a minutes restriction, his return adds a dynamic scoring option and another layer to the Suns’ offensive attack. But the real focus might be on how Phoenix replicates the process - not just the result - from their win over Detroit.
Brooks doesn’t need to drop 40 again. What matters is that he continues to play with the same clarity and aggression.
When he forces defenses to react, it creates opportunities elsewhere - like open looks for Grayson Allen from deep or driving lanes for Mark Williams to apply pressure at the rim. That’s the formula Phoenix is trying to bottle up and carry forward.
And there’s a little inside knowledge at play, too. Suns assistant coach Jordan Ott spent last season on Cleveland’s bench, so he knows the Cavs’ tendencies - where they like to operate, where they get comfortable, and where cracks start to show when fatigue sets in. Don’t be surprised if Phoenix tries to push the pace early, testing Cleveland’s legs, before slowing things down and forcing the Cavs into half-court decisions where execution matters most.
This is how playoff habits are built - not when everything’s clicking, but when the roster’s shorthanded, the legs are heavy, and the margin for error is razor-thin. The Suns are learning how to win under those conditions. And if they keep stacking these kinds of wins, they’re going to be a problem come spring.