Here are five revenge matchups for the Phoenix Suns on their 2026-27 schedule, which was released Aug. 13.
Houston Rockets
Last season: 0-4 regular season.
This season’s matchups: Nov. 7 at Phoenix; Nov. 25 at Houston, (NBA Cup); Feb. 5 at Phoenix.
The Suns traded Kevin Durant to the Rockets last summer for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and the 10th overall pick in the 2025 draft, 7-footer Khaman Maluach.
They finished winless against Houston last season. Durant hit the game-winning 3 in Houston’s 100-97 home win on Jan. 5.
After the game, Durant didn’t hold back how much the shot meant when considering his Phoenix exit.
“It feels good to play against a team that booted you out of the building and scapegoated you for all the problems that they had and it hurt because
I put all my effort, love and care towards the Suns and Phoenix area and Arizona in general, but that’s just the business,” Durant said after the game. “That’s the name of the game.”
Then Durant scored 24 points in leading the Rockets to a 119-105 victory in his return game.
Green played in just one of the four matchups against his former team. He only saw action in 32 games last season, largely due to a right hamstring injury after playing every game in his last two seasons with the Rockets.
With Brooks and Green unable to defeat their former team last season, and how some Suns fans still feel about Durant, the Houston-Phoenix series should be intense.
San Antonio Spurs
Last season: 2-2 regular season.
This season’s matchups: Nov. 9 at Phoenix; March 29 at San Antonio; March 31 at San Antonio.
The Suns won the first two in Phoenix last season, but lost the last two after the All-Star break.
The final meeting was an instant classic.
Victor Wembanyama hit a game-winning jumper over Oso Ighodaro with 1.1 seconds left to give the Spurs a thrilling 101-100 victory. The Suns didn't double the 7-foot-4 phenom Wembanyama, who ended the night with 34 points and 12 rebounds.
Wembanyama for the win.
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) March 20, 2026
Spurs 101 Suns 100. Final.
Wow. #Suns pic.twitter.com/magWXrjbPo
Both teams made the playoffs.
The Oklahoma City Thunder swept the Suns in the first round, but the then-defending NBA champions fell to the Spurs in the Western Conference finals in seven games.
The Suns weren't better than the Spurs, but the success they had against them fuels the anticipation for their matchups this season. These battles should be fun, especially if Dillon Brooks gets a chance to prove his word and defend Wembanyama.
“I have his number,” Brooks said during an IG interview. “And he knows it, too. That’s the one guy in the NBA I have his number.”
Oklahoma City Thunder
Last season: 2-3 regular season, 0-4 playoffs.
This season’s matchups: Oct. 26 at OKC; March 23 at Phoenix; March 24 at Phoenix
Phoenix took the Thunder down to the wire in their first meeting last season before losing 123-119 on Nov. 28 in OKC.
This led to Devin Booker saying “the secret is out” on how the Thunder defend.
“They do speed you up,” Booker said. “They play aggressive. They'll grab, they'll hold, but it's never like when you're in a shooting position. It's always on the handle or on your drives when they get away with it.”
The Thunder responded with a 138-89 blasting of Phoenix in an NBA Cup quarterfinal game on Dec. 10 in Oklahoma City in handing the Suns their worst loss in franchise history.
The Suns were without Booker (right groin strain) and Green, but Oklahoma City appeared to be sending a message to Phoenix after that close call two weeks earlier.
Phoenix got revenge in its 108-105 win on Jan. 4 as Booker hit a step-back, stunning 3 with 1.6 left in the game.
The Suns and Thunder met again in the playoffs. Oklahoma City proved to be too much, earning a sweep by an average margin of 17.2 points.
The number is a bit misleading. Oklahoma City opened the series with a 35-point blitzing at home.
The Suns lost Game 4 by just nine.
This matchup is an opportunity for Phoenix to not only avenge the playoff sweep but also see how much it has grown since last season.
Portland Trail Blazers
Last season: 2-1 regular season, 0-1 play-in.
This season’s matchups: Oct. 21 at Portland; Nov. 4 at Phoenix; March 21 at Phoenix.
The Suns took the two games in Portland that were high-scoring affairs, but they lost their only home game of the regular season to the Blazers on Feb. 22.
They met again in the Play-In Tournament at home for the seventh seed in the Western Conference playoffs. The Suns lost a thriller after building an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter.
First-time All-Star Deni Avdija powered through the Phoenix defense for a layup to put Portland ahead for good as he was fouled and hit the ensuing free throw to give the Blazers a two-point advantage with 16.1 seconds remaining.
Last 47.8 of Suns 114-110 loss to Blazers:
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) April 15, 2026
Devin Booker miss. Deni Avdija drive. PDX +1.
Jordan Goodwin lay-in. Toumani Camara PF. Miss FT. PHX +1.
Avdija drive. Dillon Brooks PF. Made FT. PDX +2.
Jalen Green 3 miss. Goodwin o-board, turnover. Jerami Grant dunk. PDX +4. #Suns pic.twitter.com/4QdPSdRa18
Avdija scored a game-high 41 points to go along with 12 assists and seven rebounds.
Green paced the Suns with 35 points, but he missed a 3-pointer that could have put the Suns ahead. Jordan Goodwin grabbed the offensive rebound, but Jerami Grant forced a turnover and dunked on the other end to conclude the comeback victory.
Portland and Phoenix are viewed as play-in teams going into this season, but the Blazers traded for Ja Morant. Damian Lillard is also set to return after missing all of last season with a torn left Achilles.
And Avdija is coming off a career season. The Suns and Blazers should have some doozies this season.
Denver Nuggets
Last season: 0-3 regular season.
This season’s matchups: Oct. 30 at Phoenix; Nov. 16 at Denver; Jan. 5 at Denver; April 2 at Phoenix.
The Nuggets won the first two games by a total of 40 points.
Nikola Jokic posted a triple-double of 14 points, 14 rebounds and 15 assists in the first game in Denver.
The three-time NBA MVP then fell just one rebound short of a triple-double in the second matchup in Phoenix – 26 points,10 assists and nine rebounds.
Nuggets 67 Suns 57 Half.
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) March 25, 2026
Nikola Jokic 15 pts, 11 rebs, 9 assists. #Suns pic.twitter.com/9Rg289TeB7
Then there’s that third game.
The Suns once again had no answer for Jokic, who delivered another triple-double of 23 points, 17 rebounds and 17 assists.
This time, Phoenix was right there at the end. The Suns rallied from a seven-point deficit with under three minutes left to tie the game twice within the final minute.
Then Jokic hit a floater to give the Nuggets a two-point edge with 11.6 seconds left.
Working that two-man game with Jamal Murray, Jokic was left open for the shot.
After a Phoenix timeout, Booker missed a clean look from 3 for the win with 1.9 seconds left after getting Bruce Brown off his feet on the pump fake.
The Suns are 1-6 against the Nuggets in their last seven matchups.
First order of business — find answers for Jokic.
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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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix Suns' top 5 revenge matchups in 2026-27
