If you’re checking the schedule to see who do the Phoenix Suns play tonight, you actually have a tiny bit of breathing room—but only just. After a brutal, narrow 108-105 loss to the Detroit Pistons on Thursday, the Suns are currently in the middle of a massive East Coast road swing. They aren't on the court this Friday night, January 16. Instead, they are gearing up for a massive Saturday night clash at Madison Square Garden against the New York Knicks.
Honestly, the timing might be a blessing. The team is banged up. They’re tired.
The Suns are sitting at 24-17, holding onto the seventh spot in a Western Conference that feels like a meat grinder this year. Meanwhile, the Knicks are 25-15 and absolute monsters at home, where they’ve gone 16-4. If you were hoping for a relaxing Friday night game, you’ll have to wait until tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. EST to see if Phoenix can stop the bleeding.
The Injury Cloud Over the Valley
The biggest question isn't just who they play, but who is actually playing for Phoenix. Devin Booker is the sun around which this whole roster orbits. He sat out the Detroit game with ankle swelling. It’s been a nagging thing. He tried to play through it against Miami earlier in the week, but the team finally pulled the plug on Thursday to let that inflammation settle down.
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Coach Jordan Ott—who has been a breath of fresh air but is definitely learning the ropes of a head coaching gig—sounded hopeful that Booker would be back for the Garden. You know Book. He loves the bright lights of New York. He once dropped a game-winner there that basically silenced the entire borough.
Then there’s Jalen Green. Remember that massive seven-team trade that sent Kevin Durant to Houston? Green was the center of that return. He’s been out for two months with a hamstring strain. He’s finally doing 5-on-5 drills, but he’s likely still out for this Knicks game.
Matching Up With the Knicks
When the Suns and Knicks meet on Saturday, it’s a rematch of a game from just a week ago. On January 10, Phoenix managed to scrape out a 112-107 win. Booker went off for 31. Jalen Brunson, who is basically a magician with a basketball at this point, had 27 for New York.
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The Knicks are different this year. They shoot a ton of threes—averaging about 15 makes per game. Phoenix usually only gives up about 12. If Grayson Allen and Royce O'Neale can't stay attached to shooters on the perimeter, this could get ugly fast.
Key Factors for the Next Game
- The Glass: The Knicks are physical. They bully people. Mark Williams and the rookie Khaman Maluach are going to have their hands full keeping the Knicks off the offensive boards.
- Dillon Brooks’ Chaos: Love him or hate him, Brooks has been huge for the Suns’ identity. He’s averaging over 21 points a game and brings a level of "don't mess with us" that this team lacked in the Durant era.
- Bench Scoring: With the roster so depleted, guys like Collin Gillespie have had to step up. He’s actually a frontrunner for Sixth Man of the Year right now, which is wild if you think about where he was a year ago.
Why the Schedule Matters Right Now
This road trip is a gauntlet. After the Knicks, the Suns have to fly across the river to play the Brooklyn Nets on Monday, then hit Philadelphia on Tuesday. That’s a back-to-back against two of the most hostile crowds in the league.
Basically, the Suns are trying to survive until they can get back to the Footprint Center (now technically the Mortgage Matchup Center, though nobody calls it that yet). They don't play a home game until January 25 against Miami. That is a long time to be living out of a suitcase.
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What You Should Do Next
Since there isn't a game tonight, January 16, use this time to catch up on the standings. The West is so tight that a single win or loss moves you three spots.
- Check the Saturday Injury Report: Wait until about 2:00 p.m. EST tomorrow. That is when the official NBA injury report usually updates with the most "real" info on Booker's ankle.
- Watch the Odds: If Booker is ruled in, the line will move toward Phoenix. If he’s out, the Knicks might become heavy favorites.
- Set Your DVR: Saturday’s game is at 7:30 p.m. EST / 5:30 p.m. MST.
The Suns are in a pivot point of their season. They moved on from the "Big Three" experiment and went young and athletic. It’s working better than people thought, but health is the only thing that can derail them now. Keep an eye on that ankle swelling—it’s the most important storyline in Phoenix right now.