Devin Booker discusses his excitement for his new Book 2 shoes
Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker tells all about his new Nike Book 2 shoes and the excitement he has for them and other players wearing them.
Duane Rankin and Diana Payan/The Republic
CLEVELAND — The Phoenix Suns were unable to turn a good road trip into a “great” one as Devin Booker hoped.
The Suns concluded a four-game road trip with a 129-113 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers before a sellout crowd of 19,432 on Dec. 31 at Rocket Arena.
Phoenix (19-14) won the first three games of their road trip against New Orleans in a back-to-back and at Washington, but fell to the Cavaliers (19-16) on New Year’s Eve.
Cleveland led by as many as 20 points in the second quarter, but Phoenix clawed all the way back into making it a two-point game, 91-89, late in the third quarter.
The Cavs closed the third on a 5-0 burst and extended the run to 9-0 to go up, 100-89, early in the fourth.
Cleveland then stretched it to a 24-5 surge to increase its lead to 115-94 with 6:50 remaining, forcing Phoenix to call a timeout.
This was Jordan Ott’s return game after serving as an assistant under Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson last season.
Booker paced the Suns with 32 points, with 26 coming in the second half, while Cavs’ All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell led all scorers with 34 points.
The Suns resume action Jan. 2 at home against Sacramento (8-25). They are 2-0 versus the Kings this season.
Suns cut into deficit, down 67-54 at half
Phoenix trailed by as many as 20 points with 9:22 left in the first half before making a late run to close the gap, 67-54, at halftime.
The Suns went on a 14-4 run to trim Cleveland’s lead to 50-40 with 5:54 left in the first half, but were unable to draw any closer.
Donovan Mitchell had a game-high 21 points at the half to lead the Cavaliers, while Dillon Brooks paced the Suns with 20.
Devin Booker had just six points on 3-of-8 shooting at halftime, as the Cavs had been doubling him. Cleveland was shooting 50% from the field while Phoenix is at 35.7%.
Both teams had just eight turnovers by halftime, a stat the Suns look to win every game to offset the lack of size.
Fined Jalen Green, Grayson Allen out
Jalen Green remained out with a right hamstring strain as he’s only played two games for the Suns this season. Green hasn’t played since Nov. 8 at the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Suns provided an injury update Dec. 22, saying Green will be re-evaluated in 2-to-3 weeks. This is after being put on a 4-to-6 week evaluation period.
The NBA fined Green $25,000 for “using profanity when interrupting a teammate’s live television interview” after Phoenix topped Washington.
“We can’t have that, but it does show that we have some type of camaraderie that’s grown within our group,” Ott said, during his pregame availability before facing Cleveland.
Suns guard Collin Gillespie was doing a postgame interview when Green ran over to celebrate with him.
After screaming in Gillespie’s ear, Green said, “they can’t (expletive) with you.”
Gillespie responded, “Oh my God, on live TV bro?”
In reaction, Green said, “I don’t care.”
Jordan Ott on Jalen Green $25K fine for profanity during postgame interview after win over Wizards: “We can’t have that, but it does show that we have some type of camaraderie that’s grown within our group.”
On Mark Williams serving one-game suspension after dust up with Jose… pic.twitter.com/ItcMGBQqNt
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) December 31, 2025
Grayson Allen has been downgraded from doubtful to out due to right knee injury management. He’ll miss his seventh straight game Dec. 31 at Cleveland.
“He’s been on the court,” Ott said. He’s played some live action. We’ve just got to get over that next hurdle. We play some 5-on-5, up-and-down, then he’ll be ready to go.”
Suns forward Ryan Dunn (right knee contusion) has been upgraded from questionable to available, as he’s sat out the last two games, while guard Jordan Goodwin (jaw sprain) will once again play with a mask.
Mark Williams is set to return after serving a one-game suspension for his dust-up Dec. 27 with Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado, who received a two-game suspension.
Suns guard Jordan Ott on Grayson Allen (right knee injury management): “He’s been on the court. He’s played some live action. We’ve just got to get over that next hurdle. We play some 5-on-5, up-and-down, then he’ll be ready to go.”
Will miss 7th straight game today at Cavs.… pic.twitter.com/MnKXmna4p2
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) December 31, 2025
“First off, it was great he played the back-to-back,” Ott said. “First back-to-back of the year. His ability to put all that work in this summer and now make it to a point where he’s playing back-to-backs, which is huge. He just got stuck in a bad spot. He got stuck in a bad spot.”
The Suns will start Devin Booker, Dillon Brooks, Royce O’Neale, Gillespie and Williams.
“Now he got a couple of extra days, which is good,” Ott continued about Williams. “We’re going to need all the energy we can get tonight because these (Cavs bigs Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen) are the best in the league, the combo. We’re going to need (Williams) to be dominant and massive inside for us tonight.”
The Cavs are down Larry Nance Jr. (right calf strain) and Max Strus (left foot fracture), who has yet to play this season after having offseason surgery.
Sam Merrill (left hip soreness) has been upgraded from probable to available, while De’Andre Hunter is out due to illness. The Cavs are starting Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Dean Wade, Mobley and Allen.
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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