Suns start week with challenging back-to-back vs. champs, West nemesis

The Phoenix Suns face a challenging back-to-back beginning at 6 p.m. Sunday against defending NBA champion Oklahoma City at Mortgage Matchup Center and concluding 6 p.m. Monday at the Houston Rockets.

Phoenix is a combined 0-4 against the Thunder and Rockets this season.

The Suns lost, 123-119, Nov. 28, to the Thunder and were drummed in the rematch, 138-89, Dec. 10, in the NBA Cup quarterfinals. Both games were played in Oklahoma City.

Houston dropped the Suns, 114-92, Nov. 24 in Phoenix without Kevin Durant, who missed the game due to personal reasons. The Rockets won the rematch at home, 117-98, Dec. 5.

This will be the second time Phoenix is playing Houston on the second of a back-to-back.

Phoenix will then remain on the road to take on the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday before returning home for a matchup against the New York Knicks on Friday.

The Suns are 0-1 against the Grizzlies and have yet to play the Knicks.

Phoenix is 9-9 on the road this season. The Suns went 3-1 on a recent four-game road trip with back-to-back wins over the New Orleans Pelicans and a victory against the Washington Wizards before a 129-113 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in Suns coach Jordan Ott's return game.

"As crazy as it is, you zoom out, 3-1, I think it's a pretty good trip," Ott said. "On the holidays, I think we went through some stuff in New Orleans and even in Washington, it was a little clunky at times. We were able to find some wins. I think we'll grow (from the loss to the Cavs).

"Playing against a team like that. We weren't great early, but then our response back. Overall, it was a good trip. We've just got to keep getting better."

Ott was an assistant in Cleveland for one season last year under 2024-25 NBA Coach of the Year, Kenny Atkinson.

"(Ott) just took a bigger step (last season in Cleveland)," said Atkinson on when he felt Ott was ready to be an NBA head coach. "Took on a bigger role with us. I think I stepped back a lot, kind of let him and my other assistants do more. Saw the confidence growing.

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"He was my right-hand man and has been for a while. It doesn't surprise me the success he's having."

Booker, Suns remain perfect vs. Sacramento

The Phoenix Suns began the new year with a 129-102 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Friday before a sellout crowd of 17,071 at Mortgage Matchup Center.

Devin Booker scored a game-high 33 points with 20 coming in the first quarter, in leading the Suns (20-14).

With the victory, Phoenix reached the 20-win mark this season in just 34 games, the quickest the franchise has generated 20 wins since the 2021-22 season when it won a franchise-record 64 games in the regular season.

Suns forward Dillon Brooks generated 18 points, with 10 coming in the third quarter. Phoenix led by as many as 28 points in the second half in improving to 3-0 against Sacramento.

Keegan Murray paced the Kings (8-27) with 23 points.

The Kings were without Zach LaVine (left ankle sprain) in the second of a back-to-back.

Playing their fifth game in seven days, the Kings have the second-worst record in the Western Conference.

Grayson Allen (right knee injury management) was downgraded from questionable to out as he missed his eighth straight game for Phoenix, but is closer to returning.

Averaging a career-high 16.3 points and shooting 39.2% from 3 this season, Allen participated in 5-on-5 Jan. 1 and had a "great" response to it, Ott said.

"He did (5-on-5) yesterday," Ott said. "That's a big step. And then it's just the response back, which was great. Now he just wants another one. We're right there."

Jalen Green remained out with a right hamstring strain that has sidelined him for all but two games this season.