Friday’s showdown in Houston between the Rockets and Suns could have had the spotlight on Dillon Brooks’ return and Kevin Durant’s first game against Phoenix since the trade, but it was really about how the Suns would look down Devin Booker (right groin strain).

In Phoenix’s first go without him, it expectedly struggled in a 117-98 loss.

While there were segments of the game when the Suns offense was effective, they didn’t shoot the ball well (5-for-36, 14%) and Brooks was the only productive individual scorer but went through his own shooting issues.

Brooks started the game 6-for-7 before finishing 10-of-24 for 23 points with four assists and three turnovers.

The biggest downside this team offensive performance can actually create is on defense, a full circle of a good offense making a defense better, and vice versa. Phoenix’s (13-10) defensive form uncoincidentally faded as its offense’s did.

Durant scored 17 of his 28 points in the second quarter, which is when Houston (15-5) initially created separation. The Suns did a terrific job defending him in the half-court but hurt itself by letting misses and turnovers give Durant better opportunities, and that got him going. He was 11-for-17 with eight assists, five turnovers, three steals and a block in 32 minutes.

The worry without Booker on offense is that Phoenix would begin to stack up empty possessions. Empty meaning those looks you see when the initial action and/or secondary action is stymied and now someone has to try to bail it out on a short shot clock. We rarely saw these to begin the game, with clean shots going up all over in the first quarter and change, a testament to how comfortable all the players are in that ecosystem.

Phoenix’s defense was outstanding early, muddling up just about everything and really making the Rockets earn it when they scored, specifically Durant.

But at a 37-28 Suns lead and Houston once again going through a lethargic possession in the half-court, head coach Ime Udoka called a timeout with 10 seconds left on the shot clock, calling out his team as they walked back to the bench.

That clearly woke the Rockets up, who were able to force a few Suns turnovers that were clearly the spark their offense needed. Durant scored 12 points in a little over three minutes, and those five buckets came off a combination of Phoenix turnovers and misses, plus two well-executed sideline out of bounds plays.

The Suns’ offensive efficiency really cratered from there, unable to relocate that flow, which kept momentum rolling in Houston’s favor and made the defense sloppier. The second quarter ended at a 44-27 Rockets tally and a 10-point Suns halftime deficit.

There was immediate carryover in the form of a 6-0 Houston spurt in the second half’s opening 63 seconds, inspiring a timeout from Suns head coach Jordan Ott down 16. Udoka’s timeout was the Rockets’ first test in realizing the standard of effort it would have to at least reach to win this game. The second would be the next 15-ish minutes of game time to see if they could handle the game from there while Phoenix is scratching and clawing to get back in it.

But the Suns in a few different patches throughout clanked a handful of open 3s that could have either had them in control of the game or get them back in it. This was the most “make-or-miss league” loss Phoenix has had this year.

Houston hit a few triples of its own and the advantage grew to 25 with under two minutes to go in the third quarter. The Suns couldn’t muster up any real rally from there.

Jalen Green remained out for the Suns, his 13th straight game since reinjuring his right hamstring strain. His 4-6 week timeline for a reevaluation will begin on Tuesday.

Houston was down Alperen Sengun, a late scratch due to the bug going around at the moment. The Rockets are also still waiting for Tari Eason (right oblique strain) and Dorian Finney-Smith (left ankle surgery) to get back, two additions that are expected some time in the coming weeks that will really juice up their wing rotation.