Game Day: Suns (4-5) @ Clippers (3-5), Sat 11/8/25

[ShelC]

Really good, hard fought win on the road. Clippers got away with a lot of bullshit with a lot of help from the refs but we just kept playing and gave it back to them despite getting little help from the refs. I hope we keep playing this way long enough to develop a reputation where the refs give us the kind of leeway they give other teams and players. Physical, in-your-face defense, good rotations hustling out to shooters.

Book was great all around with the near triple double. Kept his head throughout the game even with the BS calls and didn't try any hero-ball stuff. Brooks came back and took on Harden most of the game but also gave us some good offense when we needed it without any bad or forced shots. Williams was strong on both ends, nothing really fancy but just does the job on both sides of the ball which is a nice. Knows his role and plays it at a high level.

CG gave us the offense we needed when Book sat, Grayson did his thing and was another victim of a few no calls when he drove the lane. Dunn's been great off the ball getting some easy scores on cuts, also played that sticky, physical defense. Love the minutes Goodwin's been giving us. Not a lot of talk about him but he's another guy playing well on both ends and giving us some physical size despite being 6-4. Plays bigger than he is.

Five Suns players with at least 5 boards, while Zubac had 15 of the Clips' 27 boards. Harden 4-15 so we won that battle and even tho Zubac and Collins went 18-24, it wasn't enough. Got a little worried when Batum hit those 3s because he always hurts us and he was real quiet last game. Glad we weathered that storm near the end tho. Clips just didn't have any more juice to make more of a push.

The Green injury looked bad, hoping there wasn't a full tear the way he was carried off the floor. At this point we're used to playing without him so let him get healthy.

[ShelC]

Postgame Quotes and Videos

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[ShelC]

[Kryptonic]

Damn.... What a bummer.

[ShelC]

Next 3 are very winnable…we should be 8-5, but have to be at least 7-6. New Orleans, Dallas, and Indy

Indy isn’t a pushover but yeah. I’d take 7-6. Amazing we’re at .500 after two one point losses.

4-1 over the last 5 and things are really clicking right now - offensive, defense, sub patterns. These next 3 are very winnable but can't look past anyone.

[Mori Chu]

Lot of things to like about this win. I really appreciate how Dillon Brooks brought his best self to this one. He was pesky and energetic on defense, he picked his spots and shot only 6 times (shooting 4-6), and he was just a big net positive. Book was awesome with 21-10-9, crazy stat line from him. Grayson yet another very solid game; he and Royce each hit four 3s, and having those guys waiting at the 3pt line is a huge weapon for us that is keeping defenses honest. Gillespie was awesome with 13-6-4 with 0 TOs; that's an exceptional line from a young backup PG. And kudos to Coach Ott for not playing Oso in this bad matchup. Great job by our guys all around.

[Wally_West]

Let him sit until the new year if we have to. Or even all star break. It’s okay! There’s always next year and that’s fine!!!

[Superbone]

Didn’t get a chance to catch this one. What happened regarding the refs?

There was 3 straight plays that were quite bad:

1. Book goes up for a shot with jones jr draped all over him…lots of contact, shot goes in and they call the foul. Clips challenge and they overturn it to an offensive foul. They claimed DJJ was in a legal guarding position and Booker stuck his arm out…there was literally an inch of space and no room for Booker to go up into a shot…it really didn’t look like an awkward shot at all…just a normal shooting motion.

2. Book drives, Jones Jr jumps towards Book, Book moves a bit to his left and Jones Jr lands on top of Book. Offensive foul called on Book. This one is a little more iffy, but Jones Jr left his feet while Book was still driving…this almost always goes to the offensive player.

3. DJJ pushes off a bit and Book flops trying to draw a foul, but got a tech. DJJ did push off a bit, but Book also did flop. This is the least problematic one to me…

Maybe I'm alone on this, since Book himself didn't even protest this one so much, but I'm pretty sure DJJ stepped on Book's left foot and that combined with the forearm led to the exaggerated motion. The commentators also didn't see it though so maybe it's just me.

But yeah those three calls in a row were really bad.

Jones was draped all over Booker. What is he supposed to do? You get in somebody's space, you're going to get hit. I hope at least it hurt a lot.

[JJ Slim]

Didn’t get a chance to catch this one. What happened regarding the refs?

There was 3 straight plays that were quite bad:

1. Book goes up for a shot with jones jr draped all over him…lots of contact, shot goes in and they call the foul. Clips challenge and they overturn it to an offensive foul. They claimed DJJ was in a legal guarding position and Booker stuck his arm out…there was literally an inch of space and no room for Booker to go up into a shot…it really didn’t look like an awkward shot at all…just a normal shooting motion.

2. Book drives, Jones Jr jumps towards Book, Book moves a bit to his left and Jones Jr lands on top of Book. Offensive foul called on Book. This one is a little more iffy, but Jones Jr left his feet while Book was still driving…this almost always goes to the offensive player.

3. DJJ pushes off a bit and Book flops trying to draw a foul, but got a tech. DJJ did push off a bit, but Book also did flop. This is the least problematic one to me…

Maybe I'm alone on this, since Book himself didn't even protest this one so much, but I'm pretty sure DJJ stepped on Book's left foot and that combined with the forearm led to the exaggerated motion. The commentators also didn't see it though so maybe it's just me.

But yeah those three calls in a row were really bad.

Jones was draped all over Booker. What is he supposed to do? You get in somebody's space, you're going to get hit. I hope at least it hurt a lot.

On that second foul it looked like he was hurt, bending over like he got hit in the sack. Of course it could have been acting too.

[JJ Slim]

Lot of things to like about this win. I really appreciate how Dillon Brooks brought his best self to this one. He was pesky and energetic on defense, he picked his spots and shot only 6 times (shooting 4-6), and he was just a big net positive. Book was awesome with 21-10-9, crazy stat line from him. Grayson yet another very solid game; he and Royce each hit four 3s, and having those guys waiting at the 3pt line is a huge weapon for us that is keeping defenses honest. Gillespie was awesome with 13-6-4 with 0 TOs; that's an exceptional line from a young backup PG. And kudos to Coach Ott for not playing Oso in this bad matchup. Great job by our guys all around.

Brooks did mostly keep it under control but he had one instance in the 4th where when after a FT he head butted the ball as it came down through the net and got a delay of game which was the 2nd one and resulted in a technical FT. Fortunately in the end it didn't matter but if it had gotten closer that could have been a factor.

[JustWinBaby]

It seems like everyone is playing as a team, what a great look for our future and present. No more dribbling out the shot clock KD style.

Are Grayson and O'Neale getting shots of basketball viagra prior to games? They have been fantastic along with everyone that is getting extended minutes.

[ShelC]

Yea the headbutt was dumb and I was pretty annoyed by it. Just unnecessary and that's the kind of nonsense he needs to knock off. Also thought he was asking for a tech right at the start of the game pushing and shoving Harden and getting into it with him. He toes that line where you're not sure if he's helping or hurting the team. I guess it helped last night because maybe he kept Harden from getting into a rhythm.

[Split T]

Didn’t get a chance to catch this one. What happened regarding the refs?

There was 3 straight plays that were quite bad:

1. Book goes up for a shot with jones jr draped all over him…lots of contact, shot goes in and they call the foul. Clips challenge and they overturn it to an offensive foul. They claimed DJJ was in a legal guarding position and Booker stuck his arm out…there was literally an inch of space and no room for Booker to go up into a shot…it really didn’t look like an awkward shot at all…just a normal shooting motion.

2. Book drives, Jones Jr jumps towards Book, Book moves a bit to his left and Jones Jr lands on top of Book. Offensive foul called on Book. This one is a little more iffy, but Jones Jr left his feet while Book was still driving…this almost always goes to the offensive player.

3. DJJ pushes off a bit and Book flops trying to draw a foul, but got a tech. DJJ did push off a bit, but Book also did flop. This is the least problematic one to me…

Maybe I'm alone on this, since Book himself didn't even protest this one so much, but I'm pretty sure DJJ stepped on Book's left foot and that combined with the forearm led to the exaggerated motion. The commentators also didn't see it though so maybe it's just me.

But yeah those three calls in a row were really bad.

I didn’t notice the stepping on of Books foot…that would explain it more

[Carno]

Let him sit until the new year if we have to. Or even all star break. It’s okay! There’s always next year and that’s fine!!!

He came back one game too early, am I right?

[Kryptonic]

Let him sit until the new year if we have to. Or even all star break. It’s okay! There’s always next year and that’s fine!!!

He came back one game too early, am I right?

lol, i almost said that too but was waiting for wally

but you're right... one game.

[AmareIsGod]

Yea the headbutt was dumb and I was pretty annoyed by it. Just unnecessary and that's the kind of nonsense he needs to knock off. Also thought he was asking for a tech right at the start of the game pushing and shoving Harden and getting into it with him. He toes that line where you're not sure if he's helping or hurting the team. I guess it helped last night because maybe he kept Harden from getting into a rhythm.

Better than any of the sackless soft play of the last few years. I love it. I think it rubs off on guys and messes with the other team's best player.

[Superbone]

[pickle]

Yea the headbutt was dumb and I was pretty annoyed by it. Just unnecessary and that's the kind of nonsense he needs to knock off. Also thought he was asking for a tech right at the start of the game pushing and shoving Harden and getting into it with him. He toes that line where you're not sure if he's helping or hurting the team. I guess it helped last night because maybe he kept Harden from getting into a rhythm.

That play definitely stood out in the moment, but after the game I realized I yelled no no no on only one Brooks shot, and it was that three that he hit. So I’d say overall this was a good Brooks game.

Dillon is definitely a bit of an acquired taste but I’d say I’ve acquired it.