It was a high-stakes matchup in Philly tonight as two cross-conference teams clashed for the first time this season. Coming in at 26-17 on the night, the Suns came out on top (116-110) against a red-hot 76ers team that was without Paul George and Joel Embiid.
Devin Booker led the way for the Suns, as the only player to cross the 20-point mark. He finished with 27 points, three rebounds, four assists, one steal, and zero blocks on 39.1% shooting and 40.0% shooting from three. Grayson Allen finished with 16 points, five rebounds, six assists, one steal, and zero blocks on 45.5% shooting and 44.4% shooting from three. Finally, Jordan Goodwin dropped 16 points, five rebounds, two assists, two steals, and zero blocks on 50.0% shooting (0-1 shooting from three).
Things you like to see, Devin Booker *receiving* catch & shoot 3-point opportunities.
Royce O’Neale with the solid reject & puts pressure on the rim, & hits the ****left hand*** 45 skip pass. pic.twitter.com/0PMrMxP4KP
— Stephen PridGeon-Garner 🏁 (@StephenPG3) January 21, 2026
For the Sixers, VJ Edgecombe was the top scorer with 25 points, seven rebounds, one assist, two steals, and zero blocks on 47.6% shooting and 28.6% shooting from three. Starting point guard Tyrese Maxey scored 20 points, two rebounds, seven assists, three steals, and one block on 28.0% shooting and 25.0% shooting from three. Kelly Oubre Jr. tallied 21 points, four rebounds, one assist, two steals, and zero blocks on 40.0% shooting (5-10 from three).
It was not a smooth win by any stretch, but they won with their defense tonight. Through a scrappy and coordinated effort defensively from guys like Dillon Brooks, Mark Williams, and Grayson Allen, they held the 76ers to 41.9% shooting, including 11-34 from three. The performance had many Suns fans in a positive state of mind on Tuesday night.
“I think Suns could easily end at the 4th-5th seed,” an optimistic Suns fan wrote. “We could see playoff basketball in Arizona again this season.”
Specifically, fans praised Jalen Green, who came off the bench with 12 points, two rebounds, three assists, zero steals, and zero blocks on 36.4% shooting and 50.0% shooting from three. The Suns are 3-0 in games he has played this season, suggesting they are at their best when he’s on the floor.
“Jalen Green has really made it look easy the way he’s been able to find teammates in the PnR and on drives,” one fan wrote. “His first game back in months, and he still looks too quick for everyone else.”
In the end, this turnaround has been a miraculous story for the Suns. During the Kevin Durant regime, they were struggling to meet expectations in the West. Now, they are 10 games above .500 and looking like a formidable force in the West.
“When the Suns had 27 wins last season, they were 27-32. This season, they are 27-17,” one fan wrote. “I was told after the KD trade that the Suns would be irrelevant for years. They didn’t believe in Book, the hungry guys, or coach Ott.”
Ultimately, the Suns still have a lot of work ahead, but you have to be impressed with where they are after such a miserable 2024-25 campaign. After losing Kevin Durant and then Bradley Beal later this season, most critics had already counted them out as a threat in the Western Conference. Thanks to consistent defense, a competitive spirit, and strong play from guys like Dillon Brooks, Jalen Green, and Devin Booker, they are proving that team performance isn’t always tied to star power.
