Phoenix bent but never broke against the Rockets

PHOENIX, AZ - NOVEMBER 7: Luke Kennard #8 of the Phoenix Suns handles the ball during the game against the Houston Rockets on November 7, 2026 at Mortgage Matchup Center 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 2026 NBAE (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Saturday night’s victory over the Houston Rockets was easily the Phoenix Suns’ best win of the season. Granted, they’ve only won three games through their first eight, but this one felt different. Phoenix continued its recent trend of putting together quality first quarters, something that has become increasingly important given how frequently this team has found itself playing from behind. When the Suns fall into an early deficit, players tend to press, forcing the issue offensively and abandoning the systems and schemes designed to put them in positions to succeed.

But Saturday night presented a different kind of adversity. After building a lead that reached as many as 19 points, the Suns completely unraveled in the second quarter. They managed a miserable 12 points, shot 3-of-11 from beyond the arc, and apparently decided to let amber be the color of their energy as Houston closed the half on a 22-3 run to erase the deficit entirely (that’s a 311 joke). What had been a commanding Phoenix advantage was suddenly a tie game heading into the locker room.

And that’s where things got interesting. Throughout the second half, we witnessed a collection of quality performances from different players on both ends of the floor. There were timely offensive contributions, defensive adjustments, and moments when individual effort helped stabilize a team that had every reason to start questioning itself. By the time the final buzzer sounded, the Suns had earned a 102-99 victory over one of the NBA’s most potent offenses.

That’s right. For the first time this season, Phoenix held an opponent under 100 points. And that opponent happened to be the Houston Rockets.

That accomplishment alone makes this victory impressive, but what stands out even more is how the Suns responded after their complete second-quarter meltdown. When you surrender a 19-point advantage in such a short period of time, it’s easy to fold. It’s easy to begin doubting yourself, questioning whether you have the personnel, discipline, or defensive capability to stop the opponent standing across from you. We’ve seen that uncertainty creep into this team’s play far too often through the opening weeks of the season.

Saturday night, however, was the first time we truly witnessed the mental toughness and fortitude that defined this team a season ago. The Suns refused to let one disastrous quarter dictate the outcome of the game. They regrouped, stood tall, and collectively found a way to shut down a Houston offense that had been operating like a well-oiled machine. In doing so, they earned, in every sense of the word, their third victory of the season.

Booker is up to three BSB’s after his 30-point aggressive performance against the Magic.

Game 8 against the Rockets. Here are your nominees:

Devin Booker
24 points (10-of-24, 2-of-9 3PT), 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, 4 turnovers, -7 +/-

Miles Bridges
13 points (5-of-12, 1-of-5 3PT), 10 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 block, 0 turnovers, +4 +/-

Jalen Green
16 points (7-of-14, 0-of-1 3PT), 3 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, 4 turnovers, -12 +/-

Ryan Dunn
8 points (3-of-5, 2-of-2 3PT), 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, 0 turnovers, +25 +/-

Khaman Maluach
8 points (3-of-4, 0-of-1 3PT), 10 rebounds, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 2 turnovers, +11 +/-

Luke Kennard
11 points (4-of-7, 3-of-6 3PT), 1 rebound, 2 assists, 1 turnover, +4 +/-

And the winner is…