Who: Phoenix Suns (10–6) vs. San Antonio Spurs (11–4)
When: 6:00pm Arizona Time
Where: Mortgage Matchup Center — Phoenix, Arizona
Watch: Arizona’s Family 3TV, Arizona’s Family Sports, NBATV
Listen: KMVP 98.7
Phoenix is already crossing paths with the Spurs again, but the scenery has shifted. San Antonio arrives shorthanded, missing several major pieces, and their vulnerability is hard to miss. Meanwhile, the Suns are firing on all cylinders, riding an incredible November run: 9 wins in their last 11 games. The equation is simple: ride the momentum, establish dominance early, and turn this into a controlled night.
Probable Starters
Injury Report
Suns
Ryan Dunn — QUESTIONABLE (Right Wrist Sprain)
Jalen Green — OUT (Right Hamstring Strain)
Grayson Allen — OUT (Right Quad Contusion)
Rasheer Fleming — OUT (Right Ankle Sprain)
Spurs
Victor Wembanyama — OUT (Left Calf Strain)
Stephon Castle — OUT (Left Hip Flexor Strain)
Dylan Harper — OUT (Left Calf Strain)
What to Watch For
On paper, this isn’t a blockbuster matchup, but it still has a couple of hooks that make you want to tune in.
First, Phoenix comes in hot and connected, and games like this — “trap games” — always reveal something about a team trying to build a real identity. Will they handle business, turn a depleted opponent into a chance to assert their style, or fall into complacency? Nights like this often tell more than the big-name showdowns.
Then there’s the Wembanyama factor.
Without him, the whole balance of the Spurs shifts. You get to see how they reinvent themselves without their anchor. Who steps up? Who takes on more responsibility? These situations tend to expose hidden gems…or visible cracks. It’s a laboratory-type game, and that’s intriguing — Kornet, Barnes, and Vassell become the players to watch.
And there’s the Phoenix effect: when the Suns start playing fast and aggressive, and they sense the chance for an easy night, the whole thing can snowball. A curious fan clicks in to see if they keep building on their momentum, if the chemistry keeps growing, or if they use the context to fine-tune tactical details you don’t always see in heavyweight matchups. I’m really hoping to see progress in transition. Both ways. in the halfcourt, Phoenix has the edge; now it’s about punishing every mistake and giving the Spurs absolutely nothing.
This is a hidden-value game. Not glamorous, but intellectually fun.
Key to a Suns Win
Without Wembanyama and Castle, the Spurs lose their defensive anchor and main creator. The paint instantly becomes vulnerable: Phoenix has to attack it relentlessly, force rotations, draw fouls, and punish every late recovery. Pulling the bigs away from the rim only adds to the imbalance. High pick-and-rolls, dynamic handoffs, forced switches…make them defend where they’re uncomfortable.
Rebounding control becomes a major lever. Without Wemby, San Antonio gives up more second chances and loses physical presence. Win the battle on the glass, and you kill their transition game while imposing a suffocating tempo.
And with Castle and Harper out, San Antonio’s passing structure gets shaky. Pressure the ball, pinch the wings, cut off first reads. Turn their offense into a string of forced decisions. Combine interior pressure, rebounding dominance, and disruption of their creation, and the game tilts heavily toward the more equipped team.
And yes, their absences line up perfectly with Phoenix’s strengths: defensive pressure, kick-outs, and offensive rebounding volume, hoping for strong efficiency on that front.
Prediction
I’m imagining — and hoping for — a straightforward win, wrapped up by the early fourth quarter (no repeat of last week’s Hawks scenario). Going all-in on optimism.
Suns 127, Spurs 113
