Suns coach describes Steve Nash’s impact, being ready for season
Phoenix Suns head coach Jordan Ott spoke to media about Steve Nash’s impact as a senior adviser and what he’ll be watching for in the 2025-26 season.
SALT LAKE CITY – The Phoenix Suns will conclude a three-game road trip Monday, Oct. 27, against the Utah Jazz at Delta Center.
The game tips off at 6 p.m. MST and will air on Arizona’s Family and Arizona’s Family Sports.
The Suns have dropped their last two games by a total of 49 points, falling 129-102 to the Los Angeles Clippers and 133-111 to the Denver Nuggets in the second of back-to-back road games.
They are 29th in defensive rating, with the Brooklyn Nets being the worst at 30th.
Phoenix (1-2) still will be without Jalen Green, who has yet to play this season due to a right hamstring strain. He’s trending in the right direction, however, and could make his Suns debut as early as Wednesday, Oct. 29, against the Memphis Grizzlies in Phoenix.
Dillon Brooks is listed as questionable for the Jazz game with right groin soreness. Playing in Phoenix’s first three games, Brooks is averaging a career-high 19.3 points in his first year with the Suns.
Phoenix acquired Green, Brooks and the 10th overall pick in the 2025 draft, 7-footer Khaman Maluach, from the Houston Rockets in the Kevin Durant trade this summer.
The Jazz (1-1) won their season opener over the Los Angeles Clippers before losing to the Sacramento Kings, whom Phoenix defeated in their season opener.
Check back with azcentral.com for game-day updates.
Suns answer huge, early deficit, down 3 at half
The Suns fell behind big early, rallied to tie the game four times and are only down three points at the half, 64-61, at Delta Center.
The Utah Jazz raced out to a 19-2 lead to open the game as they hit five 3s. Grayson Allen ended the run with 3, but Walker Kessler knocked one down from distance to mark six straight 3s for the Jazz to go up, 22-5.
The Suns responded with an 18-2 run in the second quarter to pull within a point, 46-45. They tied the game four times in the final 3:47 of the half, but the Suns didn’t take the lead.
Allen leads the Suns with 11 points while Mark Williams and Devin Booker each have 10. Jazz big Lauri Markkanen has a game-high 20 points, Kessler has scored 14 points and Keyonte George has 10.
Both teams have hit nine 3s.
Suns forward Royce O’Neale is starting for Dillon Brooks, who is out with right groin soreness.
Coach Jordan Ott said he doesn’t believe Brooks’ injury is serious. Brooks was putting up shots pregame, but he will miss his first game of the season.
The Suns are starting Devin Booker, Grayson Allen, Ryan Dunn, Oso Ighodaro and O’Neale, marking the second starting lineup for the Suns.
Ott said Mark Williams remains on a minute restriction as he’s available for the Jazz game after missing the 133-111 loss to the Denver Nuggets for right knee injury management.
The Jazz are starting Keyonte George, Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, Walker Kessler, Kyle Filipowski and Lauri Markkanen.
Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.
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