Who: Phoenix Suns (1-2) @ Utah Jazz (1-1)
When: 6:00pm Arizona Time
Where: Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah
Watch: Suns+, Arizona’s Family 3TV, Arizona’s Family Sports
Listen: KMVP 98.7, KSUN
The first road trip of the season wraps up Monday night in Salt Lake City, where the Phoenix Suns face the Utah Jazz. The first two stops were against the Clippers and Nuggets, both heavyweights in the Western Conference. This one is against Utah, a team most expect to finish below Phoenix in the standings.
That projection doesn’t mean much right now. The sample size is small, but the Jazz rank fifth in offensive rating at 121.7 and ninth in defensive rating at 111.2. Their +10.4 net rating sits third in the league. Phoenix, conversely, is 28th in the league with a -15.2 net rating. It’s early, but it’s a reminder that any team can show up on any given night, and when you play connected basketball, results tend to follow.
That’s what Phoenix is chasing tonight. A sense of continuity. A commitment to the kind of team play that has shown itself in flashes so far. For brief stretches, this group has looked not only competent, but energized and relentless. The challenge is finding that balance between playing with aggression and losing control of it.
Probable Starters
Injury Report
Jalen Green — OUT (Hamstring)
Dillon Brooks — QUESTIONABLE (Right Groin Soreness)
Isaiah Collier — OUT (Right Hamstring Strain)
Georges Niang— OUT (Left Foot)
What to Watch For
All eyes will be on Devin Booker tonight as he works to find his rhythm and his role in this new setup. Some believe he’s been too quiet, too passive, and there’s truth to that. He needs to take control and remind everyone that this is his team.
It’s not easy when defenses are throwing doubles and triples at you, but there are ways for head coach Jordan Ott to free him up and get him better looks. He also spent the last two games facing elite talent, so there’s hope that Utah’s youth might give him a little more room to operate.
Lauri Markkanen is the other name to watch.
Through two games, he’s averaging 26.5 points on 56% shooting and hitting 40% from deep. He stretches the floor and punishes you if you sag off. Utah has size across the board, so the undersized Suns will need to make up for it with effort. They’ve done well in that area so far, ranking third in total offensive rebounds. That’s the kind of energy they’ll need again tonight.
Key to a Suns Win
The first half will tell the story in this one.
Through the first week of the regular season, the Utah Jazz rank fourth in the league at +28 in first-half scoring. The Suns sit at the bottom, at -50. That makes the start crucial. We’ll be watching to see if this group can finally come out sharp and execute on both ends.
Phoenix has the kind of roster that should thrive on defensive intensity, but effort hasn’t always turned into results. Their shooting hasn’t helped either. They’re hitting 44% from the field, which ranks 25th, and 32.8% from deep, also 25th. You can play hard, you can create open looks, but if the shots don’t fall, it’s an uphill climb.
So tonight, the focus is simple: respond early, find rhythm, and stop digging themselves into first-half holes.
Prediction
I think we’re in for a battle tonight, one of those games defined by runs. Utah’s size will test the Suns, but depth-wise, these two teams are pretty evenly matched. That’s why the minutes from Phoenix’s bench will be critical. If the second unit can hold its own and bring energy, it could swing the balance in the Suns’ favor.
Suns 125, Jazz 120