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One game after Jalen Green finally made his Phoenix Suns debut, the team could be welcoming back another starter. The Suns upgraded forward Dillon Brooks to questionable on Friday after he missed six straight games with a core muscle strain, per Sports Illustrated. No other key players appeared on Phoenix’s latest injury report, which is a promising sign as they prepare for their third meeting of the season against the Los Angeles Clippers. Brooks suffered the injury last month against the Denver Nuggets. At the time, it was labeled as right groin soreness, but the issue lingered longer than expected. Suns head coach Jordan Ott said Brooks’ availability comes down to pain tolerance, per AZ Central. Before going down, the fiery forward averaged 19.3 points per game, a career-high through his first three outings in Phoenix. The Suns sit at 4-5 on the season, while the Clippers have struggled early at 3-5. Each team has won once in their two previous meetings. Los Angeles blew out Phoenix 129-102 in October, but the Suns answered on November 6 with a 115-102 win behind Green’s electric debut. Green, who missed all of preseason and the first eight regular-season games with a right hamstring strain, looked like he never missed a step. He dropped 29 points on 6-of-13 from three, giving Phoenix a new dimension offensively. “Ups and downs of coming back from an injury, wanting to play with a new group, in a new city, and then to be that in rhythm. Yeah, that’s unique,” Ott said about Green’s performance. Brooks and Green Could Ignite New Suns Core If Brooks returns on Saturday, he’ll reunite with Green, a familiar face from their days with the Houston Rockets before both were acquired in the Kevin Durant trade this summer. The pair’s chemistry could help stabilize the Suns’ rotation as Ott continues experimenting with lineups. Before his injury, Brooks served as Phoenix’s No. 2 scoring option behind Devin Booker, averaging nearly 20 points on 19.7 shot attempts per game along with 3.3 rebounds and 2.7 steals. With Green now active, Brooks will likely see more open looks as a floor spacer, especially alongside sharpshooters Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale, who rank among the league’s leaders in made three-pointers with 32 each. Phoenix may soon face a lineup decision. In Green’s debut, Ott shifted Ryan Dunn to the bench to keep Allen and O’Neale starting. Brooks’ return will test that structure, potentially giving the Suns one of their most balanced offensive units this season. Clippers Update On the Clippers’ side, James Harden returns after missing Thursday’s game for personal reasons, while Kawhi Leonard remains sidelined with an ankle sprain. Los Angeles dominated their first matchup behind a combined 57 points from Harden and Leonard, but their absences in recent games have been noticeable. Meanwhile, Ivica Zubac continues to anchor the paint for the Clippers, recording double-digit rebounds in three of his last four contests, including an 18-board night against Miami. As the Suns eye their third straight home win after victories over the Jazz and Spurs, all signs point toward another standout performance from Devin Booker, Yahoo reports. Now fully comfortable as Phoenix’s primary option in the post-Durant era, Booker is averaging 31 points per game on over 51% shooting and 43% from deep. Booker’s recent 38-point outburst against Golden State underscored how dominant he’s been, and without Leonard and Harden on the floor, Saturday could be another showcase. If Dillon Brooks rejoins the lineup, the Suns’ starting five might finally resemble the vision they had entering the season — tough, balanced, and ready to make a statement.
