Who: Atlanta Hawks (8–5) vs. Phoenix Suns (8–5)
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
comes in with real momentum. The start of the season was uneven, but the Suns are beginning to look like a team that understands what it wants to do: controlled pace, efficient outside shooting, and better defensive discipline. Their recent blowout win over Indiana was a clear indicator. This offense can become dangerous when Booker dictates the tempo and the shooters follow. At home, Phoenix has rarely stumbled, and that consistency weighs heavily heading into this matchup.
Atlanta arrives with almost the opposite profile. On the road, the Hawks show surprising maturity: they play loose, aggressive, and their three-point shooting allows them to ignite a game in just a few possessions. Their recent win in Utah, fueled by a standout performance from Jalen Johnson, showed that they can beat anyone when they’re rolling.
For both teams, the swing factor is defense — solid at times, leaky at others. That inconsistency is what keeps them from taking the next step. Still, Atlanta’s ability to win outside its tactical comfort zone makes them a more dangerous opponent than their record suggests.
Both teams enter with contrasting but equally intriguing trajectories: Phoenix is stabilizing, while Atlanta is walking a tightrope. That collision of trends makes the game unpredictable, and that’s exactly what gives this matchup such strategic appeal.
Probable Starters
Injury Report
Suns
Jalen Green — OUT (Right Hamstring Strain)
Grayson Allen — OUT (Right Quad Contusion)
Hawks
Trae Young — OUT (Right Knee Sprained MCL)
What to Watch For
Jalen Johnson is coming off a monster game against the Jazz, and he’s exactly the type of profile that can cause problems on both ends of the floor. I’m curious to see how Phoenix chooses to handle him. I’m expecting a physical matchup between him and Dillon Brooks.
The interior battle (Phoenix needs to win the boards and protect the paint), the pace of the game, and the Suns’ outside shooting will all be key elements to track. Can Phoenix capitalize on Trae Young’s absence and force Atlanta into uncomfortable offensive situations?
This matchup is compelling because the two teams contrast so sharply: Phoenix wants control, half-court execution, quality shots; Atlanta wants to run, punish in transition, and play on instinct.
It’s also a revealing moment for the Suns: at home, facing a team that has shown it can win anywhere, Phoenix needs to validate its recent progress.
All in all, it’s a matchup filled with competitive tension, clashing styles, and meaningful context — the kind of night where you learn something about two teams still shaping their identity.
Key to a Suns Win
The key for Phoenix is to force a half-court game and stay clean offensively. The Suns take control as soon as they can set their actions, choose their shots, and dictate the tempo. The danger comes from turnovers: every giveaway is an invitation for Atlanta to run, attack in transition, and stretch the defense into open space — where the Hawks become far tougher to contain. If Phoenix takes care of the ball and limits fast-break opportunities, the game naturally shifts into a style that favors them.
Prediction
I’m expecting a tight matchup, and I wouldn’t be surprised at all if this one reaches overtime — the Suns absolutely have the tools to win this game.
Suns 124, Hawks 120
