Phoenix Suns insider gives prediction for 2025-26 season
Arizona Republic writer Duane Rankin gives his prediction for the Phoenix Suns’ 2025-26 season, including win-loss record and playoff chances.
- The Los Angeles Clippers shot a blistering 59.2% from the field, going 16-of-29 from 3, and scored 52 points in the paint.
- The Suns trailed by as many as 32 points as they were unable to rally from a huge deficit for a second straight game.
- Phoenix (1-1) continues its road trip at the Denver Nuggets on Saturday night, Oct. 25.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. – The Phoenix Suns failed to defend the paint and the 3.
That usually doesn’t add up to a win.
The Los Angeles Clippers shot a blistering 59.2% from the field, going 16-of-29 from 3, and scored 52 points in the paint in blasting the Suns, 129-102, before a sellout crowd of 17,972 at Intuit Dome on Friday, Oct. 24.
The Suns trailed by as many as 32 points as they were unable to rally from a huge deficit for a second straight game. Phoenix erased a 20-point deficit in defeating the Sacramento Kings, 120-116, in its season opener Oct. 22 at home.
Two nights later, the Suns trailed by 16 at the half and then yielded a 12-0 run to begin the second half to fall behind, 84-56, with 8:24 left in the third quarter.
The Clippers (1-1) were coming off an embarrassing 129-108 road loss Wednesday to the Utah Jazz, but bounced back with a dominant win in their home opener.
Here are takeaways from Friday’s game. Phoenix (1-1) continues its road trip at the Denver Nuggets on Saturday night, Oct. 25, in the second of a back-to-back.
Harden, Leonard power Clippers
James Harden scored a game-high 30 points with 26 coming in the first half. Simply on fire, Harden shot 5-of-6 from 3. Kawhi Leonard added 27 points, five rebounds and five assists.
Brooks, Booker lead Suns in scoring
Dillon Brooks scored 21 points, going 5-of-10 from 3. He also committed four turnovers and was whistled for five fouls.
Devin Booker added 18 points on just 5-of-10 shooting. He matched Harden for game high in assists with seven, but Booker finished with a minus-22 while on the court, as did Royce O’Neale.
How the Suns trailed by 16 at the half
The Suns had their share of defensive breakdowns, but they also had nine turnovers that led to 14 Clippers points and Derrick Jones Jr. was an inferno from 3.
A career 32.5% 3-point shooter, Jones Jr. went 3-of-3 from distance in the first half. He ended the game with 17 points, going 5-of-5 on 3s.
Granted he was getting clean looks, but as O’Neale said after the game, they didn’t see a shooting display like that coming from Jones.
Harden, yes. He’s 11th all-time in the NBA in scoring and has Carmelo Anthony in his sights for that top 10, but as Brooks said, Jones “had a game.”
How it got out of hand in the 3rd
The Clippers opened the second half on a 12-0 run to increase the lead to 28 points, but the Suns had chances to stay within range.
Booker got into the paint twice and kicked it out to Brooks and Ryan Dunn for 3s and they misfired. He then looked to score and was called for traveling.
Then Brooks drew a foul during a tangle up with Bradley Beal. He responded with a steal off of Harden, but then Grayson Allen missed a 3.
Guess who didn’t miss?
Jones Jr. knocked down his fourth 3, forcing Phoenix to call a timeout trailing by 26 points with 9:32 left.
Booker’s balancing act
Brooks has played against Booker enough to know his new teammate is a pure scorer.
So he’s all for Booker being “a little selfish” and put up more shots.
Oh, if it was that simple.
Booker is not only being asked to score, but he’s the team’s primary ball handler. He’s taken on this dual role before, but Booker has less firepower around him.
Since the Suns don’t have a facilitator outside of him, Booker must also do that as well as look to score. The younger Booker would just force tough shots.
Now in his 11th season, Booker is about making the right play.
That’s led to him averaging a career-best 7.1 assists last season and becoming a better playmaker, but he’s not nearly as aggressive in trying to score.
He doesn’t have Kevin Durant alongside him now, or Beal.
Booker must look to score for Phoenix to be competitive, but defenses know that and they’re willing to let everyone else get shots except him.
It’s why the Clippers surrounded him with bodies when he penetrated.
It’s a tricky balance. Very tricky. More free throws would help as he went 7-of-7 Friday, but when watching Harden, he forces shots and finds his teammates.
Green’s return will help, but …
The Suns will look different with Jalen Green, a career 20-point scorer in the NBA, who remains out with a right hamstring strain.
Green also is ruled out for Saturday’s game against Denver, but he had what Suns coach Ott described as “great” workout Friday. It’s not likely he’ll play Monday against the Utah Jazz to end the three-game road trip.
Green can score, but Booker, for the most part, will still have the ball in his hands.
The offense needs everyone to be a threat, but the Suns are starting the game with two guys who aren’t scorers in Oso Ighodaro and Dunn.
The Suns are still bringing Mark Williams off the bench, but the 7-footer only scored two points on 1-of-5 shooting in 14 minutes.
The big question
Coach Jordan Ott has spoken positively about the Suns having depth at the center position.
He played all four of them Friday as 7-foot rookie Khaman Maluach saw his first action in the regular season, as did rookie forward Rasheer Fleming.
Ott played Nick Richards, Ighodaro and Williams in the season opener, but admitted after Friday’s game the Clippers got the best of them at that position Friday.
Ivica Zubac, Brook Lopez and John Collins had several positive moments against Phoenix bigs. Zubac scored over Williams, Lopez went 2-of-4 from 3 and grabbed seven boards and Collins posted 10 points and six boards.
The four Phoenix bigs combined for 14 points with Ighodaro going for nine.
Ott said the rotations will be “fluid,” at center, but Williams has been on a minute restriction. When he comes off it, Williams looks like the one who should start, but Ott has options.
However, one of them has to emerge as the guy at that spot.
What they said
“Definitely could see it turn there towards the end of the first quarter. Then the second, 38-23, in the second, just couldn’t figure it out.” – Coach Jordan Ott after Suns loss to Clippers.
“He needs to shoot them even if it looks like a bad shot. I played against Devin a long time. He’s a natural scorer. Finds ways to score. He just need to be a little selfish out there.” – Dillon Brooks on Devin Booker.
“He’s a super threat, too. He can catch-and-shoot it and can also play out of closeout. He’s a tough coverage. I’ve played against him. I’m excited to get him back.” – Devin Booker on Jalen Green’s return.
“Our transition defense has got to be better. We’ve got to make their shots tougher. Credit to them. They made a bunch of shots.” – Royce O’Neale on Clippers shooting 59.2%.
“Probably. That’s how he gets himself going. He tries to alter the things you’re comfortable with, but it actually woke me up a little bit. Come on, let’s go. We’ve been playing pick-up in the summer when I was in Phoenix.” – Clippers guard James Harden on if Brooks’ trash talking fueled him.
“Oh, for sure. I mean, for everybody, the whole coaching staff and players. Just got to be more aggressive on our defensive end and try not to be lackadaisical. We want to be into bodies, and forcing stuff into the paint, so I think we did that tonight.” – Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard on learning from Utah loss.
Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.
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