The Phoenix Suns came into Monday night with something to prove. After the massive seven-team blockbuster trade that sent Kevin Durant to Houston, the Suns wanted to send a message: we’re still better. But that message never made it out of the envelope.
Instead, the Suns’ limitations finally caught up with them in a 114–92 loss to the Houston Rockets — a game that exposed just how thin and exhausted Phoenix is in its shorthanded state.
Phoenix (11–7) entered the matchup missing Grayson Allen (quad), Jalen Green (hamstring), Ryan Dunn (wrist), and resting Mark Williams on the second game of a back-to-back. They have survived these absences thanks to grit, effort, and Devin Booker’s heroics. But Monday was the night the injuries finally bit back.
A Historic Offensive Breakdown
The most glaring issue? Playmaking.
Phoenix finished with just 11 assists, and seven of those came in the first half. According to Stathead, it’s only the fourth time this entire NBA season that a team failed to reach 15 assists — and the Suns’ total ties their worst mark since December 2017.
Head coach Jordan Ott summarized it plainly:
“Not a great number… Some of it was them, some of it was us. We just clunked through it.”
Houston’s defense deserves credit. Ime Udoka had the Rockets selling out extra help to crowd Booker, denying him space on drives, and forcing Phoenix into slow, stagnant possessions. The Rockets’ elite length and athletic rotations erased the Suns’ usual skip-passes and corner-threes.
Booker finished 5-of-13 for 18 points, five assists, and six turnovers — his third straight off-night. Playing three games in four days while carrying the entire offensive load is starting to show. Without help soon, these types of performances will continue.
Houston’s Surge — Even Without Durant
The Rockets (11–4) stayed red-hot despite missing Kevin Durant, who sat out for personal reasons.
Amen Thompson was unstoppable, posting:
- 28 points
- 8 assists
- 7 rebounds
- 10-of-16 shooting
Aaron Holiday torched Phoenix with 22 points and six threes off the bench.
Houston controlled the game from late in the first quarter onward, taking an 84–75 lead into the fourth and never allowing the Suns within six again.
They’ve now won 11 of their last 13 games and look like one of the league’s rising defensive juggernauts.
The Dillon Brooks Effect — Old Friends, New Smoke
The game wasn’t only about the scoreboard. It was also Dillon Brooks’ first matchup against the Rockets since the mega-trade — and the energy was intense.
Brooks delivered:
- 29 points
- 11-of-22 shooting
- Constant pressure on ball handlers
- Multiple charges drawn
- Endless jawing with former teammates and coaches
Rockets coach Ime Udoka, who coached Brooks for two years, expected nothing less:
“He loves to push the boundaries… He’s a guy I love and have a ton of respect for.”
Suns coach Jordan Ott echoed that:
“The edge and competitive spirit he plays with is unmatched… He’s one of the hardest workers I’ve ever seen.”
Brooks played through foul trouble — picking up his fifth in the third quarter — yet Ott trusted him to stay composed. And he did.
The physicality escalated, with multiple official reviews for flagrant fouls, but Brooks kept the intensity without crossing the line. He set the tone Phoenix needed, even if the scoreboard didn’t cooperate.
A Rivalry Brewing — December 5 Rematch Looms
Even with the loss, Dillon Brooks left the floor with fire in his voice:
“We put up a fight. We’ll see them in December.”
And that rematch is shaping up to be a big one.
Will Durant play?
Will Phoenix be healthy?
Will the Suns have more chemistry by then?
One thing is clear: Phoenix wants to prove something — and Houston is becoming a measuring stick for where the Suns stand after the blockbuster trade.
Bottom Line
This wasn’t the revenge game the Suns hoped for.
This wasn’t the statement they wanted to send.
But it was the reality check they needed.
Phoenix can’t lean on Booker alone.
They can’t survive with 11 assists.
They can’t climb the West if half the roster is in street clothes.
The Suns are tough. They’re gritty. They’re competitive.
But right now, they’re wounded — and the Rockets exposed every weak spot.
December 5 will tell us much more about who the Suns are becoming.
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