Phoenix Suns guard Jalen Green talks high school jersey retirement
Phoenix Suns guard Jalen Green described his emotions after his high school jersey retirement and offered an injury update.
The Phoenix Suns have four players listed out for their showdown on Monday, Nov. 24, against the Houston Rockets at Mortgage Matchup Center.
The 7:30 p.m. game is being streamed on Peacock.
Suns starting center Mark Williams is ruled out with right knee injury management. He has yet to play in the second of back-to-back games with his new team. He posted 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting and 11 rebounds in 29 minutes of the Suns’ 111-102 home victory Nov. 23 over the San Antonio Spurs.
Jalen Green remains out with a right hamstring strain. Grayson Allen will miss a fifth straight game with a right quad contusion. Ryan Dunn will sit out a second consecutive game with a right wrist sprain, but rookie forward Rasheer Fleming has been upgraded from questionable to available after missing the last two games with a left ankle sprain suffered Nov. 18 at Portland.
The Rockets (10-4) will begin their four-game road trip without Kevin Durant, who is listed out for personal reasons. The Suns traded Durant to Houston for Green, Dillon Brooks and the 10th overall pick in the 2025 draft, 7-footer Khaman Maluach. Durant will also miss Houston’s next game on Nov. 26, against the Golden State Warriors.
Tari Eason (right oblique strain) and Jae’Sean Tate (personal reasons) are also ruled out, but Steven Adams is available after previously being listed as questionable with a right ankle tendinopathy.
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Udoka expects motivated Brooks vs former team
The Suns will have their 10th different starting lineup as Nick Richards is replacing Mark Williams, who will miss the second of a back-to-back with a right knee injury management. Williams has yet to play in a back-to-back for the Suns, who will have their third one Monday.
The Suns are starting Devin Booker, Jordan Goodwin, Dillon Brooks, Royce O’Neale and Richards.
The Rockets are starting Reed Sheppard, Josh Okogie, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith and Alperen Sengun. Okogie played in three seasons (2022-25) for the Suns.
Houston will face Brooks for the first time since the Kevin Durant trade. Rockets coach Ime Udoka praised Brooks for the passion and intensity he brought to Houston for two seasons.
“We loved it,” Udoka said. “If you know me, I don’t mind that at all. What he did for our organization was invaluable.”
Udoka also has an idea what Brooks will bring to the game against his former team.
“Motivation,” Udoka said. “He’s having the freedom to do alot of things with some guys missing with Jalen (Green) specifically. Playing at an extremely high level, scoring and shooting it. Being extra aggressive. He’s going to bring that edge regardless on a nightly bases against everybody.”
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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