PHOENIX, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 24: Will Richard #3 of the Golden State Warriors pressures Devin Booker #15 of the Phoenix Suns during the second half at Mortgage Matchup Center on October 24, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images John Voita Sun, October 25, 2026 at 12:00 PM UTC · 4 min read About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A win is a win, and in the NBA, they can be hard to come by. You take them however you can get them, up to and including when the opposing team decides to sit the majority of its roster. That's how the Phoenix Suns earned their first win of the season in their home opener, and it ended up being a pretty important one when you consider they have the Thunder and Nuggets on the schedule next week. Starting 0-2 and heading into those matchups would've added even more pressure to a team that's still trying to figure out who it is.
Because that's where we are right now, isn't it? We knew who the Suns were last season. We don't know who this version of the team is yet. While continuity remains, there's still plenty of room for players to learn where their teammates are going to be and how they're going to operate together on both ends of the floor. We witnessed that multiple times Saturday night against the Warriors.
Countless defensive rotations were missed, leading to wide-open shooters. Lackadaisical inbound passes resulted in turnovers. And rebounding? Oh boy, it appears that's going to be a significant issue for this team throughout the season. When you're surrendering 16 offensive rebounds to what essentially amounts to the Santa Cruz Warriors, that's not a talent issue. That's a size issue. The undersized Suns were getting owned on the glass by a team considered one of the smallest in the NBA. In fact, per Salary Swish , Golden State is the shortest team in the league, while Phoenix sits right in the middle at 17th. It certainly didn't feel that way Saturday night.
They say you can't truly know who and what a team is until 20 games into the season, and I believe that. But I also believe each game leading up to that 20-game mark serves as a little quiz, giving us another opportunity to understand the attitude and aptitude of a team.
The good news from Saturday night is that the Phoenix Suns won. Their star stepped up and performed like one, and the team shot the basketball well. Collectively, Phoenix shot 37.8% from beyond the arc and 58.1% from the field. For a team that was anemic offensively against the Portland Trail Blazers, that's an encouraging sign and a step in the right direction. Defensively? Allowing 122 points to that version of the Warriors is concerning. Getting outrebounded 19–9 on the offensive glass is equally troubling, as is being outscored 26–9 in second-chance points.
So we'll continue compiling the results of these little quizzes over the next 20 games until we have a clearer understanding of what this version of the Phoenix Suns looks like. Because we knew what last season looked like. And thus far this season? It ain't that.
The season opener left us with but one real option as the Bright Side Baller. And true to form, the community stepped up and got the vote right. That winner? Mariah Carey. She has become our beacon when everything else is dark, for her 5-octave vocal range is that of a Hero. It's no Fantasy that Anytime You Need a Friend, after dealing with a Heartbreaker like the Suns did against Portland, she'll help with those Emotions.
Bright Side Baller Nominees Game 2 against the Warriors. Here are your nominees:
Devin Booker 43 points (17-of-25, 2-of-7 3PT), 7 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 block, 4 turnovers, +2 +/-
Miles Bridges 16 points (6-of-11, 2-of-5 3PT), 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 0 turnovers, +1 +/-
Collin Gillespie 11 points (4-of-7, 2-of-5 3PT), 4 rebounds, 9 assists, 2 steals, 2 turnovers, +16 +/-
Dillon Brooks 15 points (6-of-12, 1-of-3 3PT), 2 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 turnovers, -2 +/-
Khaman Maluach 9 points (2-of-3, 1-of-2 3PT), 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 2 turnovers, +8 +/-
Luke Kennard 11 points (4-of-6, 3-of-5 3PT), 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 0 turnovers, +15 +/-
Source: Sports
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