Game Recap: The Suns showed us plenty before giving it all back in 109-107 loss to Detroit

On an early October evening, we finally arrived at a destination we’ve been pining for since late April. And while the game ultimately doesn’t count toward the standings, Monday night marked the debut of the 2026–27 Phoenix Suns as they made their way to the Motor City to tip off their preseason. The result?

The starters played only the first half, led by Devin Booker’s 13 points on 4-of-7 shooting and 1-of-4 from beyond the arc. He added three assists as well. Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks combined for 22 points while shooting 3-of-8 from three. But perhaps the biggest presence you felt Monday evening was Jordan Goodwin, who was an absolute firecracker during his 11 minutes on the floor: 7 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 steals. Goodwin was active and everywhere.

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Phoenix built a 19-point lead in the first half before coughing it up in a disastrous third quarter. The Suns turned the ball over 13 times and were outscored 34–16, completely erasing the cushion they had built over the first 24 minutes. There will be plenty of teaching points for the Suns after this one. Phoenix turned the ball over 32 times, allowing Detroit to score 37 points off those mistakes. After carrying a 68-50 lead into halftime, the Suns were outscored 59-39 in the second half.

Credit the Suns, they made things interesting at the end, putting together an 8–2 run to tie the game with 12.1 seconds remaining. But Pistons rookie Ebuka Okorie out of Stanford attacked and finished with his left hand, a bucket that ultimately proved to be the difference.

The loss showed us plenty, from what the potential of this team could be to where the opportunities for improvement lie. The standings will say 0-1, but we know the preseason isn’t about wins and losses. It’s about constantly learning, regardless of the result.

Game Flow

First Half

The first bit o’ news for all of those wondering? It was Oso Ighodaro who received the start at the five, receiving the nod over Khaman Maluach by head coach Jordan Ott.

Miles Bridges wasted no time making his presence felt. After Devin Booker turned the ball over on the opening possession, Bridges chased down…

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Publish date : 2026-10-06 02:37:00

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