Short-Handed Suns Outlast Nets in Chipsy, Physical Thriller 106-102
It wasn’t always pretty, and it certainly wasn’t peaceful, but the Phoenix Suns found a way to stop the bleeding.
On a Tuesday night in Phoenix, where tempers flared as hot as the shooting, the short-handed Suns managed to snap a two-game skid with a gritty 106-102 victory over the Brooklyn Nets. Without the services of superstar Devin Booker—sidelined for a second straight game with a rolled ankle—and missing Jalen Green due to a nagging hamstring, Phoenix had to rely on depth, defense, and a serious edge to get the job done.
This game, however, won’t just be remembered for the final score. It will be remembered for the raw emotion and physicality that boiled over in the final minutes, turning a basketball game into a scrum that had coaches and officials scrambling to restore order.
Late-Game Drama Defines Suns Victory
The tension had been building all night, but it finally snapped with just 1:23 remaining in the fourth quarter. Dillon Brooks, who had just sunk two clutch free throws to give the Suns a slender 104-102 advantage, found himself at the epicenter of the chaos. Following a steal by Royce O’Neale, the ball was loose in the paint, sparking a desperate scramble for possession.
Brooks, never one to shy away from contact, attempted to wrestle the ball away from Brooklyn’s Ziaire Williams after the whistle had arguably blown. That didn’t sit well with Nets rookie Egor Demin, who shoved Brooks, igniting a fracas on the floor. Players from both sides started jawing, chests bumped, and assistant coaches flooded the court to separate the tangled bodies.
When the dust settled, the officials handed out technical fouls like candy. Demin, Terance Mann, and Michael Porter Jr. were T’d up for Brooklyn. For Phoenix, Grayson Allen and O’Neale received technicals. Interestingly, Brooks—the man who often finds himself in the middle of these storms—walked away without a second technical foul, having already picked one up earlier in the contest. It was a moment of pure, unfiltered frustration from two teams desperate for a win, but the Suns managed to channel that aggression into closing out the game.
Mark Williams and Dillon Brooks Step Up
With their primary offensive engine in Booker out of the lineup, the Suns needed someone to carry the scoring load. They got two someones.
Mark Williams was a force in the paint, finishing with 27 points on efficient shooting. He was the anchor the Suns needed, punishing Brooklyn inside and providing a steadying presence when the offense bogged down. Williams’ ability to clean up the glass and finish through contact was the difference-maker on a night where every possession felt like a battle.
Then there was Brooks. Beyond the antics and the scuffles, he delivered a massive performance, pouring in 26 points. He thrived in the physical atmosphere, hitting big shots and getting to the line when the Suns needed to stop the clock. His 6-for-6 performance from the charity stripe was crucial in a game decided by four points. Allen also chipped in with 18 points, stepping up in the backcourt to fill the void left by the injured starters.
Brooklyn’s Late Surge Falls Short
For a moment, it looked like the Suns might let this one slip away. Phoenix seemed in control midway through the fourth quarter, holding a comfortable 91-81 lead. But the Nets, despite losing their last six games coming into the night, refused to roll over.
Led by a scorching-hot Michael Porter Jr., Brooklyn mounted a furious comeback. Porter Jr., who finished with a season-high 36 points, was nearly unstoppable. He drained a three-pointer to cap a blistering 19-5 run, putting the Nets up 100-96 with just 3:33 left on the clock. The air momentarily went out of the Mortgage Matchup Center as the Suns found themselves trailing late.
But Phoenix responded with championship-level composure. Mark Williams scored four quick points to stop the bleeding, and Grayson Allen nailed a bucket to tie the game at 102 with 1:39 remaining. From there, the Suns’ defense tightened up, and their ability to execute from the free-throw line sealed the deal.
What’s Next for the Suns
This was a character win for Phoenix. Beating a struggling Brooklyn team might not look impressive on paper, but doing it without your best players, while weathering a massive fourth-quarter run and a literal on-court fight, speaks volumes about the team’s resilience.
The Suns (28-19) will look to build on this momentum when they host Detroit on Thursday night, hoping to get some healthy bodies back in the rotation. For the Nets, the misery continues as they head to Denver, losers of seven straight and searching for answers.
