Last time the Jazz played the Suns, they managed to secure a wild, improbable victory in overtime. Lauri Markkanen scored the first 50-burger since Karl Malone, Ace Bailey struggled with the flu, and Keyonte George continued his impressive start to the season. Tonight is Halloween, and the Suns will be wearing a scary costume—they will be dressed as a top-heavy, expensive team mired in mediocrity and without their 2026 draft pick, nor many others in the near future. Except it’s not a costume. That’s who the Suns are. They have no choice but to play to win this season, and they will be even more motivated than usual due to their recent setback against the Jazz, which bodes well for the pro-tank crowd. This game marks the first NBA Cup tilt for both teams, featuring Phoenix’s sandstone-colored court:
Two big question marks stand out for tonight’s game: First, Ace Bailey. He has started the season slower than some of his peers, namely VJ Edgecombe and Dylan Harper. However, he looked solid in a loss to the Trail Blazers and may be turning a corner now that the flu is behind him. Secondly, defense. Contrary to popular belief, the Jazz do not have the league’s worst defense. Most analytics sites have them hovering around #20. Still, their opposition, which has not been a who’s who of championship contenders thus far, has been able to score nearly at will. Unless the Jazz make considerable improvements, this question will linger all season long and will dog them tonight against Devin Booker and the Suns.
The Jazz and Suns will both be missing players. Nothing has changed for the Suns. Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green remain out for Phoenix. Here is the full injury report for Utah via Ben Anderson at KSL, which hasn’t changed either:
Isaiah Collier — Out (Right hamstring strain)
Collier, who played a prominent role during his rookie season, has not appeared in a game this year after suffering a hamstring injury early in training camp. The team expects to re-evaluate him later this week.
Georges Niang — Out (Left foot; fourth metatarsal stress reaction)
Niang, a former fan favorite in Utah, has missed both regular-season games and all four preseason contests while rehabbing a foot injury.
Date: Friday, October 31, 2025
Time: 8:00 PM MST Tip-off
Location: Mortgage Matchup Center, Phoenix, Arizona
Channel: Jazz+, KJZZ, NBA League Pass
Radio: 1280AM/97.5 FM
