Suns Weekly Breakdown: Grit, Gaps, and the Grind Ahead
The Phoenix Suns wrapped up a wild week with a 1-2 record, and while the results were mixed, the message was clear: this team competes. Even when the shots aren’t falling, even when the roster is shorthanded, even when the scoreboard gets ugly-they fight. And that fight, more than anything else, continues to define who these Suns are.
Let’s take a closer look at what Week 8 told us-not just in terms of wins and losses, but in how this team is shaping up as we near the halfway point of the season.
@ Minnesota Timberwolves - W, 108-105
**No Booker.
No Jalen Green. Still a win.
**
This one didn’t make a lot of sense on paper. Phoenix rolled into Minnesota without two of their key scorers, facing a Timberwolves team that’s been one of the West’s best at home. And yet, the Suns walked out with a gutsy, wire-to-wire win that spoke volumes about their culture.
They led for all but 81 seconds of the game. That doesn’t happen by accident-not in that building, not against that defense.
What we saw was a team leaning on effort, communication, and a collective will to win. It wasn’t about stars.
It was about trust, hustle, and execution in the margins.
@ Oklahoma City Thunder - L, 135-89
A buzzsaw loss in the NBA Cup quarterfinals.
There’s no sugarcoating this one: it was a blowout. A 49-point loss that ended Phoenix’s NBA Cup run and served as a harsh reminder of just how dangerous the Thunder can be when they’re locked in.
Oklahoma City looked like a team with something to prove-and maybe they did, after some earlier-season comments from Devin Booker. But with Booker out, the Suns didn’t have the firepower or the tempo to keep up. It was over by halftime, and the second half felt like damage control.
Statistically, Phoenix actually held a slight edge in possessions (+2.3), turnovers (+6), and offensive boards (+1). But the shooting numbers told the real story.
The Suns couldn’t buy a bucket, and OKC couldn’t miss. Sometimes, the math just breaks against you.
This wasn’t about effort. It was about a young, hungry Thunder squad hitting another gear-and Phoenix not having the horses to match it.
@ Los Angeles Lakers - L, 116-114
A game that slipped through their fingers.
Sunday night in L.A. was one of those games that leaves you shaking your head. The Suns were down 20 in the fourth quarter.
The whistles were relentless, the flow was choppy, and the game never really found a rhythm. But Phoenix still found a way to claw back and even take a late lead.
That says something.
Even when the game turned into a slog, even when the calls weren’t going their way, the Suns didn’t fold. They rallied.
They fought. And while the final result didn’t go their way, the effort was undeniable.
Where they got burned was on the glass. The Lakers dominated the offensive boards, out-rebounding Phoenix by 14 on that end alone. That extra possession margin (-1.9 overall) and the second-chance points that came with it were the difference.
Inside the Possession Game: It’s Not Just About Volume
For all the talk about turnovers and offensive rebounding-and Phoenix did hold its own in those areas-the real issue this week was shot-making.
The Suns ranked 25th in the league in field goal percentage (44.5%) and 34.7% from three during Week 8. That’s not going to cut it, especially when you’re giving up big rebounding nights like they did against the Lakers.
Turnovers were also a problem, with the Suns coughing it up 16.7 times per game-26th in the league over that stretch. And when you add a 45.5% rebounding rate (28th), it’s clear there’s still work to be done on the fundamentals.
This isn’t about effort. It’s about execution. And right now, the Suns are still searching for that consistency.
The Road Ahead: A Crucial Two-Game Set vs. Golden State
With the NBA Cup final set for Tuesday, the Suns get a bit of a breather this week-but not much. Just two games on the schedule, both against the Golden State Warriors. One at home on Thursday, one on the road Saturday.
Make no mistake: these games matter.
The Warriors are sitting just behind Phoenix in the standings at 13-14, only 1.5 games back. A sweep in either direction could swing the Western Conference seeding picture in a big way. These aren’t just mid-December matchups-they’re tone-setters heading into the grind of the season.
Where Things Stand
At 14-12, Phoenix holds the seventh seed in the West. Not where they want to be, but not far off the pace either.
The identity is there. The fight is there.
The foundation is strong.
Now comes the next step: turning that foundation into wins. That means getting healthy, cleaning up the turnovers, and finding a rhythm offensively-especially when Booker isn’t on the floor.
Because if this week reminded us of anything, it’s this: the Suns show up. Every night. And in a Western Conference that’s as deep and unpredictable as ever, that’s a trait that can carry you a long way.
Stay tuned. This team is just getting started.