The Phoenix Suns are 10-6 this season. They started 9-7 last season through the first 16 games. Not far off, right?
Wrong. It’s a night-and-day difference between the two Suns teams. Why do the vibes feel entirely different?
This “next man up” Suns group didn’t have sky-high expectations for one. Last year’s team did get off to a hot start, but won a ton of close games early, and then Kevin Durant’s injury led to a massive losing streak that they never recovered from.
This group of misfits was ranked
27th in NBA.com’s preseason power rankings. Their over/under win total on FanDuel was 31.5. They were written off by many right from the jump. So far, they are proving them all wrong.
Brian Gregory famously said their goal was to be “aligned” during this introductory press conference, and boy, have they backed up that talk and then some. Jordan Ott has this team connected like we haven’t seen since the Bubble and Finals run.
The Culture
What does this group have in common? A chip on their shoulder with something to prove.
Whether it is proving they belong in the NBA or proving a team that let them go wrong, this team is filled with a constant edge. The “superteam” they assembled was filled with complacency, and it’s evident the coaching change has done wonders.
Jordan Ott should be an early favorite for Coach of the Year if the Suns continue to overachieve relative to their expectations entering the season.
Collin Gillespie. Jordan Goodwin. Ryan Dunn. Dillon Brooks. GRIT. TOUGHNESS. HEART. Yes, two of the four were on the team last season, but Dillon Brooks’ energy and spirit have been infectious. Meanwhile, Jordan Goodwin is harassing people full-court. It all feeds into the rest of the team.
This team fought back in an unlikely fashion as we all saw Friday night, becoming the first team in the last 3,060 attempts (in this situation) to pull off a small miracle.
I can’t say enough good things about Collin Gillespie. In fact, in case anyone forgot, I was higher on him than most entering the season. Tossing him into the 6th Man of the Year conversation in my “3 Hot Takes for the 2025-26 Phoenix Suns” piece back in mid-September. The Grayson Allen take in there has also aged extremely well.
And yes, this is a case of possible premature self-congratulation. Sue me!
The Dillon Brooks Effect
The impact that Dillon Brooks has made on this franchise in a short amount of time shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone that’s followed him. He did the same thing in Memphis. He did it again in Houston. And now, he is transforming the identity of the Phoenix Suns.
His impact is more than what shows up on the box score. He gets into opponents’ heads. He dives for loose balls. He plays as hard as he possibly can every single time he steps on the floor. That effort is contagious because if you aren’t showing that same effort while he’s busting his you know what, then you look bad. It’s rubbed off on the entire team. Mark Williams deserves a shout for his defensive activity as well — it’s been better than advertised.
I thought this quote was great from Brooks last night, addressing the mindset the team has, and specifically mentioning the game against the Hawks being a lesson that they learned from quickly. That should be music to every Suns fan’s ears. Losses are never ideal, but learning valuable lessons that can be applied to future wins is how teams get better.
Phoenix pulled off a win despite one of Devin Booker’s worst performances ever, while being down Jalen Green and Grayson Allen. Booker and Brooks each fouled out, and it didn’t matter. The Suns kept fighting. That’s what we should expect all year long from this team, win or lose. They will battle until the end.
There’s a new culture being formed right before our eyes in Phoenix, and it’s okay to be excited about that.
