Ten games down. 12% of the season gone. It moves fast, doesn’t it? Through these first ten, we’re starting to see who this Phoenix Suns team really is. Normally, you wait until game 20 before forming real opinions. That’s when the trends start to stick and the mirages fade.
That’s when you can start asking the real questions. Are they actually competitive? What flaws keep showing up, and what strengths can they lean on?
So yeah, 10 games might be a little early to call it, but it’s still enough to start piecing together the story of the 2025-26 Suns. Who they are. Who they’re trying to be. Where they’re falling short.
It’s time to check the numbers. See where they stand. See how they’ve executed. See what’s worked, and what hasn’t. Here are 10 stats (and many more within) to look at, some obvious, some take some digging, to understand who the Phoenix Suns are to start the 2025-26 campaign.
1. The Record
5-5 (9th in the West)
I feel like Julie Andrews strumming my guitar out in the meadow, educating the Von Trapp family somewhere north of Salzburg. So let’s start at the very beginning, because that’s still a pretty good place to start.
We knew the Western Conference would be a grind, and even at 5-5, the Suns sit ninth in the standings. The first ten games have felt like a crash course in chemistry. When you remember they lost to the Jazz in overtime and dropped one by a single point to Memphis, it’s easy to imagine a 7-3 start, which would have them tied for fourth.
But instead of playing the what-if game, I walk away encouraged. A team that flipped its roster this much and has a rookie head coach usually takes time to find footing, build trust, and figure out how to win together. This group feels like it’s doing all that in real time.
It’s a long season, no doubt, but the early signs are good. They’re building the identity we were told to expect, and they’re picking up wins that looked like losses on paper. I’ll admit it, I thought 4-6 would be the best-case scenario through ten games. Honestly, I was bracing for 2-8 or 3-7.
So yeah, 5-5 feels pretty damn solid.
2. The Ratings
OFFRTG: 114.9 (18th), DEFRTG: 115.4 (19th), NETRTG, -0.5 (20th)
It might feel a little better than it really is, but the reality check is simple: this is a .500 team. Look at the numbers, and you’ll see they’re hovering near the bottom third of the league in offensive rating, defensive rating, and net rating. Not quite there, but close enough to make you uneasy.
Those early blowouts didn’t do them any favors either. Getting smacked by the Clippers and Nuggets in games two and three left a mark. Against L.A. on October 24, their net rating was -27.8. The next night in Denver, it was -19.8. That kind of start drags your numbers through the mud.
But take those two games out, and the picture sharpens. You get a team with a 117.5 offensive rating, a 111.9 defensive rating, and a net rating of +5.5. That would rank eighth in the league right now. Suddenly, things look a little different, don’t they?
3. Three-Point Rate (3Pr)
47.4% (5th)
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 08: Grayson Allen #8 of the Phoenix Suns takes a shot against the LA Clippers in the second half at Intuit Dome on November 08, 2025 in Inglewood, California. 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 Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 08: Grayson Allen #8 of the Phoenix Suns takes a shot against the LA Clippers in the second half at Intuit Dome on November 08, 2025 in Inglewood, California. 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 Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
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This is one of those stats burned into my brain from last season. It’s what I tracked game after game, watching to see if the Suns would actually live up to the promise of more threes under Mike Budenholzer. And they did. They ended the year with a three-point rate of 44%, ninth in the league. That means nearly half of their shots came from deep.
This year, that number’s climbed another 3.4%.
Does it feel like it? Maybe not, because it’s not the main storyline, but it’s happening right in front of us. The team is still attacking, moving the ball, and finding the open man, but now it’s done with purpose. Last season felt like “play random.” This one feels calculated.
They’re knocking down 37.9% of those looks, again ninth in the NBA. So they’re not quite at my 40/40 benchmark from two years ago, but the intent is clear, and the shift is real.
4. Paint Touches
25.5 (7th)
How do you get that many open threes? You attack the paint.
Touch it, force the defense to collapse, and let the chaos unfold. That’s where the magic starts. When defenders crash in, shooters drift free. And if those shooters are moving with intent, they’ll find the open spots every time.
Devin Booker is averaging 2.6 paint touches per game, up from 1.5 last season. That’s a big jump for a guy who already commands defensive attention. Last year, the team averaged 18.3 paint touches per game, which ranked 28th in the league. They didn’t care much about getting downhill.
This season, that’s changed. There’s purpose behind every drive, every paint touch, every kick-out. It’s deliberate basketball.
5. Bench Scoring
18.5 points per game (25th)
This is where opportunity lives for the Suns. Depth was always going to be the question coming into the season. Not because the talent isn’t there, but because the production hasn’t always followed.
Through ten games, the bench is averaging 33.3 points per night, which puts them in the bottom third of the league. They’re shooting 34.2% from deep, 16th in the NBA, and 42.8% overall, which ranks 23rd.
Collin Gillespie has been the steady hand, appearing in all ten games and averaging 10.4 points while hitting 38.2% from three. He’s been the spark. But collectively, the bench sits at a -30 on the season, 24th in the league in that category.
If this team wants to keep building momentum, this is the area that needs to rise. Injuries will happen — it’s the nature of the NBA grind — and when they do, the depth has to be ready. There’s been progress lately, with the bench improving to a -9 over the last five games. That’s not dominance, but it’s movement in the right direction.
6. Rebound Percentage (REB%)
50.7% (11th)
Rebounding matters. For a team that struggled on the glass last season, there’s been a clear shift. Last year, they finished 22nd in rebounding percentage, grabbing 49.3% of all available boards. That number tells the real story. It measures control and consistency, not just raw totals.
This year, you can feel the difference. The addition of Mark Williams has changed the tone entirely. He’s currently pulling down 9.6 rebounds per game, good for 15th in the NBA, and it shows. His presence brings a level of physicality and timing the team lacked before.
INGLEWOOD, CA - NOVEMBER 8: Mark Williams #15 of the Phoenix Suns looks on during the game against the LA Clippers on November 8, 2025 at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images)
INGLEWOOD, CA - NOVEMBER 8: Mark Williams #15 of the Phoenix Suns looks on during the game against the LA Clippers on November 8, 2025 at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images)
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Through ten games, the Suns are rebounding with purpose, securing possessions that used to slip away. It’s not dominance, but it’s direction. And for a team still shaping its identity, that’s a big step forward.
7. Getting Down Early
Times down 20+ points: 5
Climbing out of big deficits is no easy task, even in today’s NBA, where the three-point shot can erase leads in a hurry.
The Suns have already faced that mountain five times this season, falling behind by 20 or more points. They’ve managed to win just once in those situations, sitting at 1–4. That win came on opening night against the Kings. Their largest hole? A 32-point deficit in Game 2 against the Clippers.
But the other side of that coin shows this team’s potential. The Suns have led by 20 or more points in three different games, including a dominant 31-point edge against the then-undefeated San Antonio Spurs. That win wasn’t just convincing. It was instructive, offering the rest of the league a blueprint on how to frustrate Victor Wembanyama.
The lesson here is simple: don’t dig the hole in the first place. This team has the fight to climb out, but sometimes, even the most determined effort can’t overcome the depth of an early collapse.
8. Second Half +/-
If there’s one thing you can say about this team, it’s that they don’t quit. They keep coming, relentless and unshaken, like a T-800 locked in on its mission. The Phoenix Suns have been down plenty this season, often digging out of their own messes, but they keep fighting.
That ability to climb out of holes has fueled their early success. It’s shown up in the win column, sure, but more importantly, it’s shaping their mentality. This is a group that stays engaged, that responds instead of folds.
They’re +26 in the second half this season, which works out to +2.6 per game. Last year’s team? -2.2. That difference might seem small, but it’s the pulse of a team that’s learning how to push back.
Oh, and for those of you wondering, the Suns are a -25 in the first half this season, which is 23rd in the league.
9. Personal Fouls
23.8 (5th most)
This has been a theme I’ve circled back to all season, the razor’s edge this team walks between playing aggressive and playing reckless.
The Suns are built to disrupt, to frustrate, to grind opponents down with pressure that never lets up. That style demands physicality, and with physicality comes fouls. The balance, then, lies in discipline; in knowing when to strike and when to pull back. That’ll be one of the defining challenges of this season.
There’s opportunity in mastering it, though. Because while the Suns have committed some truly baffling fouls (especially in transition), those moments are fixable. Either deliver the hard foul that sends a message or live with the bucket. But don’t gift-wrap free throws with a soft reach-in and a pat on the back.
10. Clutch Time Net Rating
+7.3 (12th)
We all had our concerns about this team entering the season. For me, it wasn’t scoring. It was late-game scoring.
This roster isn’t loaded with self-creators, so my worry was that everything would funnel through Devin Booker down the stretch, making the offense too predictable. That was part of the “Big Three hangover”. So much theoretical versatility, but not enough real options when the game tightened up.
Last season, the Suns went 21–19 in clutch games but carried a -4.7 net rating in those moments. This year? They’re 2–2, with a +7.3 net rating. That’s progress.
PHOENIX, AZ - OCTOBER 31: Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns dribbles the ball during the game against the Utah Jazz on October 31, 2025 at PHX Arena 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images)
PHOENIX, AZ - OCTOBER 31: Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns dribbles the ball during the game against the Utah Jazz on October 31, 2025 at PHX Arena 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images)
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Sure, they’re still shooting an abysmal 20% from three in the clutch, but they’re finding other ways to win those minutes. They’re attacking. They’re getting to the line — six free throws per clutch game, third-most in the league. They’re rebounding (10th), sharing the ball (4th in assists), and forcing turnovers (1st in steals).
In short: when things get tight, they’re not freezing up. They’re fighting through. And that’s the kind of shift that can define a season.
We’ve learned plenty about this team so far. You can see it in the patterns, the feel, the fingerprints of a young head coach figuring out his rhythm. He’s locked in on adjustments, chasing cohesion, trying to get a roster full of new faces to move as one.
There’s opportunity everywhere, every night, and they’re starting to grab it. Ten games in, the arrow’s pointing up, and honestly, they’re coming together faster than I ever thought they would. The key now? To sustain.