When: 4:00 am Arizona Time
Where: Venetian Arena, Macao, China
Watch: NBA TV
The Phoenix Suns traveled over 7,000 miles across the world to play the Brooklyn Nets twice in Macao, China, at Venetian Arena.
This is the second of two contests after the Suns won an overtime thriller by the score of 132-127.
As Kevin stated in the last preview, remember to set your alarms or your DVR, as this game tips off at 4 a.m. Arizona time. If you’re up at 4 a.m. Arizona time to watch this, you’re either an insomniac, a diehard, or both…but either way, the Suns are back for Game 2 of their China series against the Brooklyn Nets. After an encouraging opener against the Lakers that showed real flashes of identity, this matchup is another test of whether Phoenix’s new culture is starting to take hold. Preseason or not.
The Suns enter their third preseason game with a pristine 2-0 record. They have certainly looked connected despite not having Jalen Green or Mark Williams for either game, two of their top 4 players.
Phoenix recovered from a slow start in the first contest to rally back for an overtime win against Brooklyn. They allowed 39 points in the first quarter, trailing by 10 heading into the 2nd quarter.
The Suns will look for a stronger start and more defensive energy early, although part of their struggles last game were due to Brooklyn quite literally not missing a shot early on. It was an eventful first game, with plenty of big celebrity names and the international spotlight shining on the Suns.
I doubt either of these teams focuses on making adjustments for each other. Most of the goal of preseason is about perfecting your internal goals and correcting any mistakes ahead of the games that count.
Let’s see what they can do in Round 2.
Probable Starters
(Same as Game 1, barring late changes/injuries)
SUNS
- Oso Ighodaro
- Ryan Dunn
- Dillon Brooks
- Grayson Allen
- Devin Booker
NETS
- Nic Claxton
- Michael Porter Jr.
- Terance Mann
- Cam Thomas
- Noaln Traore
Injury Report
Suns
- Mark Williams — OUT
- Jalen Green — DAY TO DAY
Nets
- Egior Demin — DAY TO DAY
- Drake Powell — DAY TO DAY
- Haywood Highsmith — DAY TO DAY
What to Watch
Strong Start?
After a disjointed, slow first half where Phoenix looked like the team that hit snooze on its alarm (Brooklyn opened 10-for-10 from the field and jumped out to a 26-8 lead), the Suns’ youth and bench energy saved the morning.
The Suns battled back from a 12-point halftime deficit, dominating the third quarter 30–13 to completely flip the momentum.
Jordan Goodwin led the Suns with 19 points in 18 minutes, including the dagger three in overtime, while Devin Booker and Dillon Brooks each added 18. But this game wasn’t about star power. It was about the foundation being laid beneath it.
Rookie Success
We are all likely hoping to see more action from the rookies in this contest.
Rasheer Fleming and Khaman Maluach were two of the biggest bright spots for Phoenix. Their energy, defense, and athleticism in the fourth quarter and overtime completely changed the game’s feel. Fleming’s instincts as a cutter and shot blocker stood out, while Maluach’s footwork and passing vision at his age continue to make him one of the most fascinating long-term projects on this roster.
“Man Man” and Rasheer both getting 25+ minutes in this one would be ideal. We’ll see how Jordan Ott handles the rotation. Unleash the rooks!
Even Collin Gillespie, though somewhat quiet in the box score, showed flashes of exactly the kind of stabilizing, connective guard Jordan Ott wants in his system, someone who can defend, move the ball, and keep the pace steady. These are the kinds of games where he can really start to carve out his spot in the rotation.
Offensively, there’s still a lot to figure out. The starters never found much rhythm, shooting 44 percent from the field and missing 31 of 42 threes.
But the resilience was hard to ignore. Holding Brooklyn to 13 points in the third quarter, erasing a double-digit halftime deficit, and finishing the job in overtime shows the kind of grit and buy-in this new Suns group is trying to build.
Prediction
Who knows what the rotations look like in this one. I just want to see continued heart and fight and some promising stretches from the rooks.
Suns win again, 124-121.
We shall see!
