NBA Matchups: December 10

PHX @ OKC | SAS @ LAL

Phoenix Suns at Oklahoma City Thunder

Team Totals: Suns 105.8, Thunder 120.3

Injury Report: Devin Booker (Q, groin), Isaiah Joe (O, knee), Isaiah Hartenstein (O, calf)

Suns projected starters: Devin Booker, Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale, Dillon Brooks, Mark Williams

Thunder projected starters: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Cason Wallace, Lu Dort, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren

Ott quotes: Said they needed all 11 players, said the start of the fourth with the bench was big to get the starters some rest, said they want to pressure the ball as much as possible, said they showed some trust in Bouyea with some big 4Q minutes, said they want the ball in Mark Williams’ hands, said they were trying to keep Dillon’s minutes in check and they were trying to match him up with Randle, said he had to burn his second challenge because it was important to overturn the fourth on Grayson Allen (in the second quarter).

Daigneault quotes: Said they took advantage of the Jazz defense to get a lot of really good looks from deep, said they had “professionalism top to bottom” with SGA out, said Carlson “changed the game” and his run helped put the game away, said J-Dub really helped with the ball movement for their offense.

Stats and Notes: 

*The Suns are coming off an excellent win in Minnesota, and they played OKC tough to close out group play in the NBA Cup with just a 123-119 loss. Since Nov. 7, it’s the only time OKC’s margin of victory was less than eight, and the Suns put up the second-highest O rating against OKC all year. This game was with Devin Booker, and the Suns have generally not looked great without Booker. OKC’s defense has been on cruise control for basically two years as the league’s best defense, they’re first in transition defense, first in PNR handler PPP against, first in rim FG% against (third in volume allowed, meaning they don’t give it up down there), first in keeping teams in the halfcourt (82.3%), and they are even first in putback points per miss. It’s just too tough to score on this team, and they should be healthier for a big Cup game. It doesn’t even matter who they play, though. For the Suns’ defense, they have sneakily become 11th in defensive rating. They’ve been awesome on the ball with the fourth-lowest PNR handler points allowed, and they’re third in ISO PPP against. They’ve also climbed all the way to fourth in transition defense, and they’re even above average at limiting C&S 3PAs. They’re a little below average at rim defense, though. This should be more of a defensive battle than the other game, and it has much more blowout risk.

*The injury report did not break great for Devin Booker, who has been out since Dec. 1 with a right groin strain. Booker hurt his left groin last season, two seasons ago, and three seasons ago, so it’s good news that this isn’t the same side. Still, the Suns almost have to cap him in his return because an aggravation would derail their whole season. His matchup is a disaster against Lu Dort, and Dort kept him to just 21 points in 39 minutes during the last game. Big no thanks on my guy Booker.