The Suns got what you’d expect from a preseason opener and then some: a big early cushion, a messy finish, and a handful of performances worth sorting through. Phoenix jumped out to a 19-point lead against the Detroit Pistons before the game tilted once the young guys and backups took over in the second half, but there was still plenty to pull from the first organized action since the sweep by the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The first thing that jumped off the floor was Dillon Brooks doing Dillon Brooks things. Less than five minutes in, the Suns wing had already drawn a technical foul.
Last season’s NBA leader in that category wasted no time leaning into the physical edge that makes him so hard to ignore, wrapping up John Collins on the inside after a bruising sequence. Collins answered with one of his own, picking up a flagrant after officials reviewed the play and saw him shove his hands into Brooks’ throat.
Preseason basketball usually takes a minute to find its temperature. This one arrived hot.
Phoenix also spent the night reminding everyone that free throws are going to be a talking point until they stop being one. The Suns went just 17-for-33 at the line, a brutal 51.5 percent.
Oso Ighodaro’s struggles there remain a concern, but he wasn’t the only one missing. Koa Peat and Khaman Maluach combined to go 0-for-6, and Jalen Green missed two of his own.
That kind of waste would have cost Phoenix the game even before the late-game lineup changes, and it’s the sort of thing Jordan Ott will want cleaned up fast.
Green, though, gave Suns fans a reason to feel better about what’s coming. After an injury-plagued debut season in The Valley, he looked lively and explosive.
He finished with 11 points on 3-of-6 shooting and got to the line six times. There was an alley-oop finish from Miles Bridges, a steady diet of drives to the rim, and the kind of burst Phoenix has been waiting to see more often.
Rex Chapman kept praising Green during the broadcast, pointing to the offseason work Green put in to get back to himself. Only Devin Booker, who scored 13, put up more points for Phoenix.
Bridges, meanwhile, turned in a solid first showing in a Suns uniform. He gave Phoenix eight points, five rebounds, four assists, and a steal on the opening defensive possession.
He also knocked down a corner 3 off a Booker assist. His rebounding will matter all season for a team that struggled on the defensive glass last year, and that became even more important once Mark Williams went down with a torn labrum in his shoulder.
In this one, Bridges did his part.
And then there was Jordan Goodwin, who continues to look like one of the sneakiest useful players on the roster. He came off the bench and still led the Suns with six rebounds, including three on the offensive end, while also adding three steals.
For a team that values hustle and extra possessions, Goodwin keeps cashing checks in that department. The reigning Dan Majerle Hustle Award winner didn’t lose any ground in the opener.
In Other News...
Suns Frontcourt Battle Is Putting Real Pressure On Oso Ighodaro
The Suns leaned into a three-guard look in preseason against the Detroit Pistons, but the bigger storyline sat in the frontcourt, where Oso Ighodaro got the start and Khaman Maluach continued making his case for a larger role. For a team still sorting out its rotation, that kind of competition matters, especially when the center spot can shape both the defense and the spacing around Phoenixs guards.
Maluach showed the kind of defensive presence that can change a coachs thinking, and he even flashed a bit more on offense with a three-point attempt. Nothing has been decided yet, and the Suns are not tipping their hand on any roster change, but the pressure is real for Ighodaro if Maluach keeps turning preseason minutes into evidence that he belongs in the starting conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Suns Still Have A Few Preseason Battles That Matter Before Opening Night
The Suns still have a few preseason decisions to sort out before opening night, and some of them sit well beyond the top of the rotation. Pat Spencer, on a two-way contract, has been used in a limited role and looks like the kind of depth piece a team hopes it never has to lean on, but is glad to have around if injuries change the picture. For a roster still taking shape, every available minute has a little more meaning than usual.
Haywood Highsmiths rocky preseason debut did not settle anything, and the back end of the roster remains in motion as the staff keeps sorting through options. Ryan Dunn, meanwhile, has to do more to separate himself in the battle for playing time, with the Suns also weighing other young options as they try to find the right mix before the games count. [Read more 🡒]
Suns Fans Get An Early Look At A Rotation Battle Taking Shape
The early preseason minutes already offered a clue about how Jordan Ott wants to sort through the Suns frontcourt, and the next test comes against Chicago after the loss to Detroit. Phoenix is still in the stage where lineup choices matter more for what they reveal than for what they decide, and the staff is using these exhibition games to get a better read on fit, rhythm and chemistry.
Ott is keeping the same starting group in place for a second straight game, a sign that the battle up front is far from settled even as roles begin to take shape. The plan also calls for the starters to log more time against the Bulls, giving the Suns a longer look at how the group functions together before the rotation starts to tighten. [Read more 🡒]