The Suns gave themselves a real chance Monday night against the Golden State Warriors, and for a while it looked like the kind of night that could help them turn a corner. Phoenix came out with its best start of the season, built a 17-point first-half lead, and showed stretches of the kind of basketball this group has been chasing.
Then the game tightened, and the same problems showed up again.
Down one with two minutes left, Devin Booker missed a wide-open 12-footer. On the next trip, Booker turned it over.
Jalen Green followed with another turnover on the possession after that. To finish the sequence, Booker was whistled for an offensive foul.
Maybe it was a flop. Maybe it wasn’t.
Either way, the Suns had no margin left, and they didn’t handle the moment. That’s been the recurring issue early in the season: Phoenix can flash real progress, but it still hasn’t figured out how to finish.
That was the story of the night. The defense had strong stretches.
The offense had possessions that actually looked organized. There were moments when the Suns seemed to be moving toward something more coherent.
But the same familiar flaws kept showing up, especially on the glass and in the battle for extra possessions. When a team is still fighting its own construction, those lapses become expensive fast.
The frustrating part is that the improvement is visible. The Suns are taking baby steps.
They’re learning how to compete. They just haven’t learned how to win yet.
And in the NBA, that difference matters.
Collin Gillespie’s work off the bench stood out enough to earn him his first Bright Side Baller of the season. He posted 16 points and 10 assists, and he took 52% of the vote. Miles Bridges finished with 38%, while Dillon Brooks received 5%.
For this game’s Bright Side Baller nominees, the list included Bridges, Booker, Brooks, Green, and Oso Ighodaro.
Bridges put up 21 points on 7-of-14 shooting, including 3-of-5 from deep, and added 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 steals, 1 block, and 1 turnover with a +1 plus-minus.
Booker finished with 26 points on 8-of-18 shooting, 2-of-4 from 3, along with 3 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 turnovers, and a -18 plus-minus.
Brooks scored 18 points on 5-of-8 shooting and 2-of-2 from 3, grabbed 8 rebounds, dished 4 assists, and had 4 turnovers with a -13 plus-minus.
Green contributed 11 points on 5-of-14 shooting, missed all four of his 3-point attempts, and added 8 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks, and 4 turnovers with a +4 plus-minus.
Ighodaro was perfect from the field, scoring 14 points on 6-of-6 shooting to go with 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block, and 3 turnovers, finishing at -4.
In Other News...
Suns Suddenly Face A Rotation Concern They Cant Afford Tonight
Jordan Goodwins night against the Golden State Warriors ended early when he left with a calf injury and was ruled out for the rest of the game. Before exiting, he had chipped in four points, two rebounds and two assists, a solid all-around line for a player the Suns brought back this offseason on a three-year contract.
Goodwin has become a valuable piece for Phoenix, which makes any health issue worth watching closely as the team tries to manage its rotation. The Suns need reliable minutes from the players around their core, and losing a steady contributor like Goodwin, even for one night, can quickly tighten the margin for error. [Read more 🡒]
Dillon Brooks Just Reignited A Frustrating Suns Debate
Dillon Brooks latest run-in with the officials came in a game against the Denver Nuggets, where he was ejected for excessive contact on a play he and his teammates viewed as far less malicious than the whistle suggested. Brooks said the contact was unintentional and pointed out that the referees reviewed the sequence multiple times, which only added to the sense that the call was shaped as much by his reputation as by what happened in the moment.
For the Suns, it is the kind of episode that keeps a familiar debate alive around Brooks: where the line sits between his physical edge and the way officials react when he is involved. He will not be suspended and is expected to be available against the Golden State Warriors, but the larger question lingers around how much his style continues to invite scrutiny every time he steps into a high-stakes game. [Read more 🡒]
Draymond Green Added Another Ugly Twist To Suns Warriors Rivalry
The Warriors-Suns rivalry picked up another nasty edge on Tuesday night, and Draymond Green was right in the middle of it. Early in the third quarter, Green got tangled up in a physical sequence that spilled into a confrontation with Dillon Brooks, turning a tense game into one of those moments that instantly feels bigger than the box score.
Green was assessed a double technical foul and ejected after dragging teammate Khaman Maluach to the floor, a sequence that only added to the bad blood between two teams that rarely need much help finding it. Golden State still held on for a 116-113 win, stretching its streak to five, but the lasting image for Suns fans was the latest ugly twist in a matchup that keeps finding new ways to boil over. [Read more 🡒]