The Suns need this game in the worst way with an upcoming tough stretch of games.
Who: Phoenix Suns (14-12) vs. Detroit Pistons (11-17)
When: 7:00 pm Arizona Time
Where: Footprint Center — Phoenix, Arizona
Watch: AZFamily, Suns Live
Listen: KMVP 98.7
The Phoenix Suns enter tonight’s contest against the Pistons with a dark cloud following them. Not only did they get outplayed by the Pacers on their home court on Thursday night, but they lost Devin Booker to injury in the process.
The Suns will be without Devin Booker due to left groin soreness so he will sit out against his hometown Pistons. There is no time to pout or dwell on his absence because to be quite frank… the Suns need to win this game.
Their upcoming stretch features Denver (twice), Dallas, Golden State, and Memphis. A loss against Detroit heading into that 5-game slate without Devin Booker could bury them.
It’s going to take more than a big night from Kevin Durant. Bradley Beal will need to step up and show he’s capable of being a legitimate number two option. 55. That’s the point mark that KD and Beal need to combine for in scoring to take this one, minimum.
Anything less and it’s going to be tough for the Suns to win against a Pistons team looking for a sweet road upset.
Photo by Kate Frese/NBAE via Getty Images
Probable Starters
Injury Report
Suns
- Devin Booker — OUT (Groin Soreness)
- Bol Bol — QUESTIONABLE (Knee Contusion)
- Collin Gillespie — OUT (Right Ankle Fracture)
Pistons
- Isaiah Stewart — OUT (Knee)
- Jaden Ivey — PROBABLE (Knee)
Uniform Matchup
What to Watch For
Cade Cunningham
Cade is having a breakout season for Detroit, and the Suns must find a way to contain him. He is averaging 23.9 points, 9.6 assists, and 7.3 rebounds on 45.7% shooting from the field.
Cunningham is fresh off a 33-point outburst in a loss to the Jazz on Thursday night. He is playing at an All-Star level and has been the key to the improvement of the Pistons. Detroit surrounding him with capable floor spacers and vets has proven to be a smart move by the Pistons’ brass.
sheesh… that’s Cade CunningHIM pic.twitter.com/hRP77RebTK
— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) December 20, 2024
Jaden Ivey’s emergence alongside Cade has formed a strong young backcourt that Pistons fans can be excited about.
The Shooters
Veterans Malik Beasley, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Tobias Harris have been much-needed “floor raisers” for the Pistons to surround their young core with. Adding competent shooters has paid dividends by not only allowing Cade to generate more assists but also providing him with more spacing to operate and get downhill.
Malik Beasley is shooting 41% from deep this season. He has scored 23+ points in four of his last five contests. Tim Hardaway Jr. sits at 35% from three, and while that doesn’t frighten you on paper, he’s the type of shooter who can get hot in a hurry. He and Beasley have taken turns with their streaky shooting all year long.
The Physicality + Depth
The two keys in this one will be how Phoenix responds to the inevitable physical play that Detroit will bring and how the bench performs. The Pistons are not afraid to mix it up a bit and get in your grill. They have size and youth.
Jalen Duren, Jaden Ivey, and Ausar Thompson will be running up and down the floor with Cade looking for them and his shooters. Phoenix will need to get back in transition and eliminate easy looks to build their confidence.
Young, hungry teams with something to prove have been a problem for this era of the Suns for the past several years. They used to be that young team looking to prove themselves. Now, they need to find that fire against teams they are supposed to beat.
Photo by Mike Mulholland/Getty Images
The Suns bench and role players need to have that “next man up “approach. Grayson Allen, Monte Morris, and Ryan Dunn figure to get more minutes as a result of Booker’s absence. We may even see Josh Okogie thrown in to provide a spark.
Prediction
The Suns need this one desperately with how things are trending. They cannot afford to drop a winnable game against a bad (but competitive) team. So they will win. Please?
Prediction: Suns 115, Pistons 109