Although the Phoenix Suns are in the midst of arguably their roughest stretch of the 2025-26 season, having lost seven of their past 10 games, the scoring chops from key guards remains a silver lining.
Over those past 10 games (heading into an April 2 contest against the white-hot Charlotte Hornets), Devin Booker or Jalen Green has been the game’s high scorer in nine of them — with Collin Gillespie’s 24 points against the San Antonio Spurs on March 19 being the lone exception.
In that time, Green became the first player in Suns franchise history to score 30 or more points in 22 minutes or fewer in a game. He accomplished the feat in a 134-109 win over the Utah Jazz, finishing with 31 points in 22 minutes without attempting a single free throw. He shot 13-of-22 from the floor and 5-of-11 from 3-point range.
Not to be outdone, Book followed that stellar performance with one of his own. In the 131-105 win over the Memphis Grizzlies, Booker scored 36 points on a video game-esque 16-of-24 shooting (4-of-6 from 3-point range). Like Green, he did so without attempting a free throw. His 36 points without an attempt from the charity stripe were the second-most in franchise history.
Suns bucket-getters will make them a tough out in the playoffs
The elite and efficient scoring output from Booker and Green shows just how skilled those guards are when locked in. Putting up 30+ points without being the beneficiary of foul calls that send them to the free-throw line puts them in a rarified territory in today’s NBA, where guys like Luka Doncic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, James Harden, and others thrive by drawing contact (and whistles) to then cash in at the charity stripe.
Western Conference contenders in the San Antonio Spurs, Los Angeles Lakers, and Los Angeles Clippers (a possible Suns play-in tournament opponent) are all efficient at limiting foul trouble. Those three squads rank within the top six in the league for fewest fouls committed per game — discipline that may not help them against the likes of Booker, Green, and the Suns.
Those offensive outbursts of strictly buckets from the Suns’ new-look dynamic duo occurred with Dillon Brooks sidelined. “The Villain” was in the midst of a career year before suffering a broken left hand that kept him in street clothes dating back to Feb. 22. Brooks made his much-awaited return March 31 against the Orlando Magic, but scuffled in the 115-111 loss.
Brooks showed he needs to knock off some of the rust from missing over a month of action, scoring just nine points on 4-of-13 shooting.
Green, playing with Brooks and Booker for just the sixth time all season, also had a rough outing. He scored only eight points on 3-of-10 shooting while missing all five of his 3-point attempts.
There’s no doubt some Jekyll and Hyde among the Suns’ trio of scorers. Green, in particular, has had trouble finding consistency during a season marred by injuries that kept him sidelined for most of the season’s first half.
If, however, the Suns can cobble together enough chemistry with Booker, Brooks, and Green ahead of the Play-In Tournament, their scoring acumen will make them a tough out.
Phoenix is 3-1 against the rival Lakers this season, 2-2 against the Clippers, and 2-2 against the mighty Spurs.
The Suns’ calling card under first-year head coach Jordan Ott remains playing with hustle, energy, and a high motor that starts with Brooks setting the tone. That’s allowed them to compete even with the league’s best teams.
If Ott and the Suns can find the right balance of on-ball usage from their trio of stars, their ability to score in bulk without needing frequent trips to the charity stripe could ultimately keep their season rolling in upset fashion.