Suns Fall to Denver in Cup Play as Brooks Is Tossed and Two Shooters Burn Them

Brooks exits hot. Dillon Brooks had 22 points on 9-of-12 shooting in only 21 minutes, 12 of them in the first quarter. ESPN reported he was ejected after a flagrant foul 2 in the third, and Arizona Sports described him appearing to kick Jamal Murray. Phoenix lost its hottest hand right when the game turned.

Denver's heat check. Murray scored 39 with seven threes in nine tries and 12 free throws. Christian Braun added 31, also 7-of-9 from deep. Nikola Jokic needed only 18 points and 10 assists. The Nuggets took the third quarter 32-26, built a 13-point cushion and never handed it back.

Gillespie makes a case. Collin Gillespie came off the bench for 16 points, 10 assists and four steals, a team-best +8 in 34 minutes. Hoops Rumors raised the lack of a traditional point guard as a frustration in Phoenix on October 29. His line keeps that question loud: should the best organizer start?

Star output, uneven. Devin Booker, the $57.1M centerpiece, scored 20 but shot 7-of-19 with four turnovers and finished -14. The team noted he reached 700 career games in double figures on his birthday. Volume showed up; efficiency did not, and Phoenix needs both from him.

The late push. Down 123-110 with 1:17 left, Phoenix closed to 125-120 on Jordan Goodwin's step-back three. Miles Bridges then stole the ball, but Goodwin's pullup missed. Bridges finished with 24 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks, the steadiest night on the roster.

Front line math. Cleared after his oblique trouble, Ighodaro played 21 minutes at +4, while Khaman Maluach went -15 in 17. Mark Williams remains out with a left shoulder injury, with an estimated return of February 3, 2027. That leaves the center minutes to two young bigs for months.