Nothing changed on the Phoenix roster in the last 36 hours; the only movement was the standings flipping the Suns between 10th and 11th. Friday's Cup game against Denver comes with a rest edge the Suns need to use.
A quiet day. No signings, no new injury news, no trades. At 1-2, Phoenix sits 11th in the West, level with the 2-3 Warriors for 10th and one game behind the 3-2 Spurs for sixth. At this pace the Suns finish 27-55, which makes Friday matter more than any October game should.
Denver arrives tired. The Nuggets play the second of two straight road games on one day of rest. Phoenix had three days off. Denver lists Cameron Johnson, Alpha Diallo, Julian Strawther and Spencer Jones as out. David Adelman's team is 2-2 and won its last game, but this is a short rotation walking into a rested building.
The Jokic problem. Nikola Jokic is averaging 22.0 points, 10.5 rebounds and 9.0 assists, and Jamal Murray adds 22.5 points a night. Phoenix's answer at center is thin. Khaman Maluach pulls 7.3 boards in 23.4 minutes, Mark Williams is not projected back until February 3, and Oso Ighodaro's oblique could clear by Friday.
The number: 124.5. That is the Suns' defensive rating, and it buries a 111.6 offense. Denver's defense sits at 112.0. Phoenix gave up 124 in Portland and 125 in Oklahoma City. If Jordan Ott can't get stops against a short-handed opponent, the 26th spot in the power rankings will start to look deserved.
Heat check on Booker. Booker is averaging 23.0 points and 5.3 assists but shooting 22.2 percent from three. The 43 he scored against Golden State shows what his ceiling looks like. The Athletic framed him as entering a "defining next chapter," and a $213.8M payroll, set against a $200.4M tax line, needs that chapter to start now.
Who keeps the minutes. With a teammate out, Jalen Green has played 13 more minutes a night and Dillon Brooks eight more over the last three games. The open question is what happens when Ighodaro comes back: does Ott shorten the guard rotation, or does the scoring burden on Green and Brooks stay where it is?
Will Oso Ighodaro play against the Nuggets?
He is listed as day-to-day with an oblique injury, with a possible return on October 30, the day of the Denver game. His status has changed several times this month, so nothing is certain until tip-off.
When is Mark Williams expected back for the Suns?
Williams is out with a left shoulder injury and is not projected back until February 3, 2027. He has not played this season.
