The Phoenix Suns began life as a rebuilding franchise in encouraging fashion on Wednesday, as they came back from a 20 point deficit to defeat the Sacramento Kings 120-116. This was a game in which Devin Booker put up a team high 31 points, although it was surprising to see head coach Jordan Ott shorten his rotation immediately.
None of the three rookies taken this summer saw any action despite being active, while coach Ott kept his rotation to 10 guys. It was great to see Mark Williams come off the bench to the tune of 24 minutes, while Collin Gillespie played like the "Villain Jr." he has quickly become known by in The Valley.
Dillon Brooks took far too many shots despite victory.
It took only one competitive game for the majority of Suns fans to fall in love with Dillon Brooks as well. On the defensive end he was everything it was hoped he could be - and more - while his own 22 points were the second highest of any Sun. The only drawback however, was the fact he took a whopping 24 shots on the night.
"The fans stuck with us."
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) October 23, 2025
Dillon Brooks after Suns comeback win, admitting he 'shot it bad.'
1-of-8 from 3.
On defending DeMar DeRozan: "It was definitely a wear down effect." #Suns pic.twitter.com/LHVTIHiBXU
It is ok for Brooks to believe that - with Jalen Green unavailable because of a hamstring injury - he can and should be the second option offensively. Grayson Allen might look back to his best, but we know he operates best as the third option for this group. As for fellow starters Ryan Dunn and Oso Ighodaro? There's a reason Dunn needs to be looking over his shoulder already.
But to take 24 shots when Booker - the superstar and focal point of the offense - only took 19, is simply unacceptable. You got the feeling Brooks was trying that little bit too hard to make a difference on both ends of the court - and while defensively that comes naturally and he sets the tone - the Suns can't have him hoisting the ball that often if they hope to win more games.
They were fortunate that the Kings - even after building up a 20 point lead - looked listless and like a group who do not know how to play together. Contrast that with the Suns, who after a couple of seasons of disjointed play around Booker and Durant, put in the kind of team first performance fans had been craving.
The Suns do still need Brooks to be aggressive, he just needs to be more controlled with his output offensively. Become that bit more selective, and he is going to far exceed expectations this season on that end of the court. He's already a difference-maker defensively, which is what he was brought in to do in the first place. A memorable first game for Phoenix, with the potential for so much more.