We are 31 games deep into the 2025-26 NBA season. Shoutout, Shawn Marion.
The Phoenix Suns are 18-13 through this portion of the schedule, having played 16 road games and 15 home games thus far. They have taken care of business at home (10-5) and stayed strong on the road at .500 (8-8).
Many of these statistics are directly or indirectly correlated with simply giving a damn.
#1) Gran Theft Otto
The Phoenix Suns lead the entire NBA in steals per game, averaging 10.8 takeaways per game.
The next two closest teams are the
Oklahoma City Thunder (10.3) and Detroit Pistons (10.0). Two teams that take pride in their defense. This trio of teams is alone in generating double-figure steals per contest. They have seven players averaging at least one steal per game or more. Grayson Allen leads the way per game, averaging 1.7 swipes, followed closely by Jordan Goodwin at 1.5.
The defensive activity is infectious on this team, and of course, that starts with Dillon Brooks. Mark Williams has made impressive strides on this end as well.
#2) Crashing The Glass
Phoenix ranks 5th in the association in offensive rebound percentage at 33.9%.
Get this. Last season, the Suns ranked 26th(!) in this category at just 26.4%. That is quite the overhaul in identity without getting much bigger. Adding more youth, athleticism, and overall hunger has transformed this group’s ability to generate extra possessions.
Mark Williams paces the Suns with 3.2 offensive rebounds per game, proving to be a handful for opponents inside.
#3) Capitalizing On Mistakes
The Suns are 2nd in the association in points scored off turnovers, averaging 22.2 points scored off turnovers. A lot of this can be circled back to statistic number one above in steals per game.
The only team ahead of them? That team over in Oklahoma City, who also happens to be right on their tail in steals generated per game. The Suns’ defense operates like sharks in the water… the second they smell blood, they attack. They make teams pay for the turnovers they generate. It’s been a huge reason they’ve exceeded expectations early on.
#4) So, You’re Saying There’s a Second Chance?
The Suns also ranked in the top-10 in second chance points, coming in at 8th in the NBA with 16.1 points generated per game.
This total is another one that is night and day from a year ago, where they ranked 26th overall with just 12.4 second chance points created. It’s a testament to not only the presence of Mark Williams down low, but the “gang rebounding” approach instilled by head coach Jordan Ott. Even if they are undersized at times, they are relentless in their pursuit of the basketball.
#5) Slowing Opps Down In Transition
Phoenix also ranks in the top 10 in slowing teams down in transition. They are 8th overall in points allowed off opponent fastbreaks at just 13.8 points allowed per game.
This is yet another statistic they have turned around from a year ago, where they ranked 26th overall, allowing 17.1 opponent fastbreak points per contest. It may not feel like a lot, but those points stack up and can be the difference at the end of the game.
A lot of it is pure discipline and hustle to run back and not get beat, whether it’s off a make or miss. That extra difference accumulated over the course of the years can be the difference between quite a few wins.
Every point prevented counts. And these Suns sure play like it. This grouping of statistics may not be the sexy, appealing numbers that casual fans will browse through in a box score, but they matter.
This is how the Suns win.
