Phx-Suns.Net

#16 Phoenix Suns
Last Week:17↑
Record: 8-6
OffRtg: 117.3 (9) DefRtg: 113.2 (12) NetRtg: +4.1 (11) Pace: 100.4 (21)

After taking advantage of a soft stretch of schedule to win five straight games, the Suns were looking legit with a 22-point, fourth-quarter lead against the similarly streaking Hawks on Sunday. But that lead quickly disappeared and the Suns’ streak came to a resounding end.

Three takeaways

The Suns’ schedule has been relatively soft overall, as Phoenix and Oklahoma City are tied with the most games (10) against the 14 teams currently at or below .500. But there’s value in taking care of business against the bottom half of the league. At this point last season, the Suns had just one win by double-digits (they finished with 10). They’ve got six double-digit wins this season, having handled the Pelicans and Pacers pretty easily last week.

The Suns rank higher on offense, but the much bigger improvement from last season (especially when you take the league average into account) has been on defense, where they’ve seen the league’s third biggest drop in points allowed per 100 possessions. But they have been tested much on that end of the floor, with 11 of their 14 games having come against teams that rank in the bottom 10 offensively.

The Suns are pressuring the ball much more than they did last season, having seen the league’s second-biggest jump in average pick-up distance, per tracking data. That has helped them see the biggest jump in opponent turnover rate, from just 12.3 per 100 possessions (28th) last season to 16.3 per 100 (seventh) this season. They’ve still committed more turnovers than their opponent in seven of their 14 games.

Coming up: The Suns will visit the 6-7 Blazers on Tuesday and then play eight of their next nine games against teams with winning records (seven of the nine against top-10 offenses). Going back to a first-round sweep in the 2024 playoffs, they’ve lost eight straight games to the Wolves, who will be in Phoenix for an Emirates NBA Cup game on Friday.

Week 5: @ POR, vs. MIN*, vs. SAS

ShelC wrote: ↑

Tue Nov 18, 2025 10:55 am

Wouldn't mind seeing Jevon back here given he style of play we have now

Superbone wrote: ↑

Tue Nov 18, 2025 1:36 pm

ShelC wrote: ↑

Tue Nov 18, 2025 10:55 am

Wouldn't mind seeing Jevon back here given he style of play we have now

Doesn't sound like he's going anywhere.

Mori Chu wrote: ↑

Tue Nov 18, 2025 3:48 pm

Update on Giannis groin injury.

The offensive foul was called on Mavericks guard Brandon Williams for hooking Knicks defender Landry Shamet with his left arm while driving to the basket for a game-tying layup. The whistle blew as Williams was going to shoot, negating his basket and sealing the Knicks' 113-111 victory.

pickle wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 20, 2025 1:23 am

That’s just not a call you make at the end of the game. That’s really bad.

Superbone wrote: ↑

Thu Nov 20, 2025 12:19 am

I take it they didn’t have any reviews remaining? I don’t get it. Did he push off? Stick his legs out? I didn’t see anything.

ETA:
Apparently, other views showed it.

The offensive foul was called on Mavericks guard Brandon Williams for hooking Knicks defender Landry Shamet with his left arm while driving to the basket for a game-tying layup. The whistle blew as Williams was going to shoot, negating his basket and sealing the Knicks' 113-111 victory.