PHOENIX — Resolve is a hell of a thing and the Phoenix Suns’ efforts to use it as a way to make some amends for the last few years got off to a roaring start in Wednesday’s 120-116 win over the Sacramento Kings to begin the season.
This was a tapped-in group of Suns faithful at Mortgage Matchup Center. They were aware of what the identity and culture is supposed to be, going all hands on deck for moments when the team would show high energy, what they were craving for all last year to no avail. Fans were ready to respond when they got what they asked for and were told they would receive.
But they had to wait a while.
Every core problem and concern with Phoenix’s roster had a spotlight shined brightly on it throughout the majority of the first half, one the Kings led in by as many as 20.
Sacramento, set to be one of the worst teams in the West, is littered with off-the-bounce options to score the basketball and put pressure on the defense. On the other side, Phoenix really only had one to rely on in Devin Booker with Jalen Green (right hamstring strain) sidelined.
Those Kings scorers were confident and in rhythm, racking up buckets through fine defensive effort that was not phasing them at all. They were all marked by willing Suns defenders, but just because you’re willing doesn’t make you great.
Phoenix, however, didn’t lose faith, even through multiple sections of the game that inspired mixes of groans and silence from a home crowd once again patiently waiting for the product to be what was advertised to them.
That sales pitch of hustle and grit defining this team was indeed on a late delivery but exploded through the front door to open the second half across a 36-21 third quarter.
Through three quarters, the Suns generated all 28 of their second-chance points, a total north of any number they amounted to in any game last year. Prior to the final frame, they were +13 on shot attempts, a win in the possession battle that was absolutely foreign to Phoenix previously.
Sacramento’s matchup hunting on defenders it felt A-OK with testing was suddenly stalling out. And with all that momentum, the Suns got massive plays from Grayson Allen and Collin Gillespie to begin the fourth quarter, improbably all while Booker was resting.
Phoenix went +8 when he sat in the frame, going from down two to up six.
That is when Dillon Brooks became the main character, in the most hilarious of ways.
Brooks began the game introducing himself to a contingent of Suns fans already all too familiar with him and it showed with how they reacted to him. Their buzz vibrated the room the second he started draping himself all over DeMar DeRozan, and they also let out sounds of anguished worry when he got a lil’ too happy taking shots during an awful first half for Booker.
Fast forward back to crunch time, and Brooks hit a one-legged fadeaway past DeRozan at the elbow to put the Suns up nine midway through the fourth.
DeRozan then hit a 3 off a scramble generated by an awesome chase-down Ryan Dunn block, and two minutes later with the Suns leading by four, Brooks fouled DeRozan on a drive. After the whistle, DeRozan tried to lightly push Brooks out of his airspace, only for Brooks to give him a little grab to keep him close by.
Those are the antics you love or hate as a neutral observer. Most observers in attendance were not neutral, so they loved it.
Suns’ Dillon Brooks and Kings’ DeMar DeRozan showcased some real beef to kick off the new NBA season in Phoenix… pic.twitter.com/UoArnY8gDE
— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) October 23, 2025
“That’s part of his M.O., and we need that,” Booker said postgame of Brooks. “It’s definitely something that we didn’t have a lot of last year. Just getting everybody riled up, getting everybody in tune with the game and you can’t teach that stuff and you can’t value it.”
Dunn was asked of Brooks and as soon as the first word of the question “Dillon” was uttered he cut it off.
“He’s crazy! He’s crazy,” Dunn said of Brooks. “I don’t got nothing to say. I’ll say this, I’m glad to have him on my team. He’s a dog, but he means well. He pushes us every day, he’s gonna try to go at everybody he guards. That’s someone good to have your back.”
The light kerfuffle was followed by a DeRozan and-one over Brooks that resulted in a cold-blooded stare from one bad dude, only for Brooks a minute later to isolate and hit a middy over DeRozan.
As you’d bet your life on, Brooks let him know about all the way up the court. And then in the corner, all the way through Sacramento’s possession.
Brooks and DeRozan 😂 pic.twitter.com/fHyVdnAYNm
— Cage (@ridiculouscage) October 23, 2025
As Malik Monk drove the ball, Brooks was still in DeRozan’s face.
https://t.co/KYspUjjLQl pic.twitter.com/vSmQzJZXCi
— Kellan Olson (@KellanOlson) October 23, 2025
Incredible. Chris Paul has forced way too many chuckles out of me on media row to make me think anyone else will ever top him as the funniest player to cover but Brooks is going to challenge him in a way that didn’t seem possible.
After that exchange, Phoenix got up a 3 in semi-transition, and Brooks crashed the glass to battle for the rebound with DeRozan. DeRozan bodied him on the boxout attempt and they were assessed the ever-rare double foul.
The Kings eventually tied the game before Brooks was fouled on a 3-point attempt with just over a minute remaining, set up by a recovery off Booker threatening a drive.
He made all three free throws, and on the Suns’ next time down, Booker’s heroics arrived just in time on a ridiculous make to put Phoenix in the driver’s seat up four, enough for the opening victory.
https://t.co/KYspUjjLQl pic.twitter.com/vSmQzJZXCi
— Kellan Olson (@KellanOlson) October 23, 2025
Booker’s box score of 31 points on 10-for-19 shooting might look nice but he was accurate in describing his overall play as “nasty.” His six turnovers were all in a fashion that is unlike him and this team is not going to get away with performances like that anymore this season.
Fortunately for Phoenix, Booker was picked up by his teammates.
Dunn was terrific, especially in the first half when it felt like he was the only guy that had his energy finding ways to produce impact plays. He ended up with nine points, 10 rebounds (five offensive), three assists, a steal and three blocks.
Brooks added 22 points on 9-of-24 shooting, while Allen through his admittedly frustrating four turnovers still dished out a team-high seven assists with 18 points.
Center Mark Williams came off the bench in his Suns debut after missing the whole preseason due to an extensive summer-long process of reshaping his strength in the hopes of better long-term health. It was a surprise to not see him start, but the plan was designed so he could close the game in the 24 minutes available to him.
His fingerprints were all over it across that time, a game-high +15 when his physical presence around the basket was constant. He provided six points, 11 rebounds and two blocks.
Williams admitted he didn’t even know the plan for Wednesday going in and isn’t even sure what the future holds in terms of his playing time.
Sacramento was without Domantas Sabonis (right hamstring strain) and Keegan Murray (left thumb surgery), putting it all in the hands of the Kings’ primary ball-handlers to do all the duties. DeRozan was phenomenal with 29 points and nine assists on just one turnover but had no help in the final quarter. Zach LaVine scored 28 of his 30 points in the opening three periods.
Brooks credited that to a “wear-down effect,” something the Suns will look to champion all year.
“Oh yeah, I know that from every team I’ve played on, it’s that. If you’re able to play hard every single night, there’s teams that are not willing to do that,” Brooks said.
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