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The Phoenix Suns are one of the NBA’s surprise teams early in the 2025-26 season but they still have just one win against a team currently with a winning record.
They’ll have a chance to add to that number during this upcoming three-game homestand.
The Suns (9-6) face the Minnesota Timberwolves (10-5) on Friday, Nov. 21, in an NBA Cup West Group A battle at Mortgage Matchup Center. They follow that with the first of a back-to-back against the San Antonio Spurs (10-4) on Nov. 23, followed by the Houston Rockets (10-3) on Nov. 24 in the return of Kevin Durant.
“It’s a tough stretch,” Suns big Mark Williams said. “Feeling good, though. Got to take it one game at a time. Obviously (Friday), Minnesota. Tough game. Got to go from there.”
The Suns are seventh in the West and 1-0 in NBA Cup group play while the T-Wolves are sixth in the conference and 2-0 in NBA Cup group play. Minnesota swept last season’s series against Phoenix, 4-0.
“Really good team, Cup game,” Suns coach Jordan Ott said. “So everyone knows when those Cup games come, it’s a different intensity. We know they’re good. They’re big. Have a really good player in (Anthony Edwards) that kind of leads the way.”
The Rockets and Spurs are third and fifth, respectively, in the conference. Houston, San Antonio and Minnesota came into the season as playoff contenders.
The Suns did not, but they are 8-2 in their last 10 games after a 1-4 start.
With an aggressive style of play fueled by physicality, pace and pressure, the Suns are often dictating the action instead of the other way around.
“That’s the biggest difference between this year and last year,” Suns big Oso Ighodaro said. “We have an identity. We know what we’re doing. We might change something scheme-wise from game to game, but we are sticking to our identity for the most part. That’s super beneficial having that security knowing who we are and what we can lean back on.”
The Suns still are down Jalen Green with a right hamstring strain. He will be re-evaluated next month.
Grayson Allen is closer to returning from a right quad contusion that has sidelined him the last two games, but he’s been ruled out Friday’s game as has rookie Rasheer Fleming, who saw his first meaningful minutes in the 127-110 road victory Nov. 18 against the Portland Trail Blazers.
“He was able to participate (in Thursday’s practice),” Ott said about Allen. “We didn’t go 5-on-5 or anything like that. It’s definitely trending in the right direction. Again, it’s three (games) in four (days) here. We’re hopeful that he feels good after (Thursday’s practice) and we’ll assess (Friday), but it’s definitely progressing in a good direction.”
Phoenix’s lone victory over a team with a winning record right now was against San Antonio.
The Suns could have another one had they not squandered a 22-point lead in the fourth quarter of a 124-122 loss Nov. 16 to the Atlanta Hawks (9-6) at Mortgage Matchup Center.
The Suns responded with a 17-point victory at Portland (6-9) as they led by as many as 25 points in the fourth quarter.
The Suns handed the Spurs their first loss of the season, 130-118, Nov. 2, holding Victor Wembanyama to just nine points on 4-of-14 shooting. He committed six turnovers.
“I think they did a great job having a scheme defensively,” said Wembanyama after the game about the Suns. “They were expecting everything that we did, so that makes everything hard for us.”
The Suns are 12th in the NBA in defensive rating. In this 8-2 stretch, the Suns are fourth in defensive rating.
“Just the attention to detail, we’re flying around and we’re making teams make one more decision,” Ighodaro said. “If we rotate, leave someone open, someone is sprinting them off the line, making one more closeout. When you make teams do that, there can be one more mistake they may make.
“We’re giving that extra effort right now,” Ighodaro continued. “We’re having each other’s back and when you have each other’s back, you’re not afraid to help somebody else because you know somebody is going to get yours. I think that’s probably our No. 1 strength right now.”
The Suns have started strong despite only having Green for one full game.
He reaggravated the hamstring injury in the first quarter of his second game with his new team Nov. 8 against the Los Angeles Clippers in Inglewood.
In addition, Williams has yet to participate in the second of a back-to-back in his first year with the Suns.
Having played a total of 106 games in his first three NBA seasons that were spent in Charlotte, Williams has dealt with multiple injuries. The Suns have had the 7-footer on a conditioning plan since July 1 and placed him on target minutes early this season.
“He’s been in a good spot,” Ott said. “Our plan has helped. His feedback has been nothing but positive. I’m encouraged to see what this looks like over the rest of the season, but we have to get through (Friday) first. I do think he’s feeling better than he has. We also know this is game 16.”
The Spurs-Rockets back-to-back will be Phoenix’s third this season. The Suns are 1-1 in the second of back-to-backs as they lost Oct. 25 at Denver, 133-111, but beat Indiana, 133-98, Nov. 13 at home.
Williams is averaging 11.7 points on 62.9% shooting and 8.2 rebounds in 13 games.
“My body is feeling good,” Williams said as he’s played an average of 25.1 minutes this season. “I just continue to talk to the staff about it and go from there.”
Williams said he doesn’t have an update on his availability for the second of a back-to-back.
“I think it’s more of a game-by-game thing,” Williams said. “I’ve been hovering around the same minutes when necessary, but I think it’s just a game-by-game thing.”
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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