Suns Stumble Again on the Road, Fall Short Late Against Pistons
The Phoenix Suns are in the middle of a road trip that’s starting to feel more like a gauntlet than a schedule. Two games in, and it’s been nothing but grit, grind, and gut punches. Thursday night’s clash with the Detroit Pistons was no exception - a bruising, back-and-forth battle that saw Phoenix give everything they had, only to fall short again in the final round.
Let’s be clear: this wasn’t a team mailing it in. The Suns brought the fight.
But for the second straight game, they just couldn’t close the deal in the fourth quarter. And when the dust settled, it felt less like a narrow loss and more like a technical knockout.
Phoenix is swinging, but the legs are getting heavy.
No Booker, No Quit - But No Win, Either
Devin Booker sat this one out, and that absence loomed large. Still, the Suns didn’t fold.
They stayed true to their identity - tough, resilient, and unafraid of a scrap. But effort doesn’t always equal execution, and the box score doesn’t hand out moral victories.
This game, like the one before it, slipped through their fingers late. The Suns were right there, blow for blow, until the final stretch when the offense stalled and the defense couldn’t get the stops they needed. That’s now back-to-back losses where Phoenix looked like the better team for three quarters - and then ran out of gas.
Bright Spots in the Grind: Grayson Allen Keeps Climbing
There were still some standout performances worth noting, especially from Grayson Allen, who continues to make his mark this season. After dropping 25 against Miami earlier in the week, Allen followed it up with a 33-point outburst in Detroit. He’s now moved into fourth place in the Bright Side Baller standings, collecting his fourth nod of the season.
Allen was aggressive from the jump, firing off 25 shots and connecting on seven triples. It wasn’t the most efficient night (11-of-25 from the field), but he carried a heavy scoring load with Booker out and kept the Suns in striking distance.
Bright Side Baller Nominees - Game 41 vs. Pistons
It wasn’t all Allen, though. Several Suns stepped up in different ways - some with scoring, others with hustle, and a few with a little bit of everything. Here’s a look at the standout stat lines from Thursday’s game:
- Grayson Allen: 33 points (11-of-25 FG, 7-of-20 3PT), 5 rebounds, 3 blocks. He was the go-to guy offensively, even if the efficiency dipped late.
- Collin Gillespie: 18 points (6-of-10 FG, 4-of-6 3PT), 6 assists. Quietly effective, especially from deep.
A strong showing off the bench.
- Dillon Brooks: 16 points (4-of-16 FG), 1 rebound, 1 assist.
Not his most efficient night, but still brought his trademark edge.
- Oso Ighodaro: 10 points (4-of-8 FG), 3 rebounds, 1 block.
Gave solid minutes and finished with a team-best +8.
- Royce O’Neale: 11 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists.
Did a bit of everything, though his shooting (4-of-11) didn’t help the cause.
- Jordan Goodwin: 7 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block.
Hustle stats galore. His +14 led the team and tells the story of his impact.
What’s Next?
The Suns aren’t panicking - not yet. But this road trip is testing their depth, their endurance, and their ability to finish games without Booker leading the charge.
They’ve shown fight. Now they need to find that final gear to close.
Two games down, two gut punches. The bruises are adding up. But this team isn’t backing down.