The Phoenix Suns entered Saturday night’s rematch with the Los Angeles Clippers hoping to build on the momentum of their promising performance two days earlier. On Thursday, the Suns earned a convincing win in Jalen Green’s season debut, as the guard returned from a hamstring injury that had sidelined him for the first eight games of the year.
Green looked sharp in his first outing alongside new backcourt partner Devin Booker. He scored a game-high 29 points, while Booker followed with 24 as the Suns cruised to a 13-point victory. With the rematch set for Saturday and Phoenix finally appearing close to full strength, optimism was high.
That optimism quickly faded. Just seven minutes into the game, Green exited after reaggravating the same hamstring issue. He was immediately ruled out for the remainder of the contest. The setback comes as a surprise considering Green’s durable history; across his first four NBA seasons, he appeared in at least 67 games each year, including one campaign with 76 games played and two seasons of all 82.
Despite the loss of their starting guard, the Suns managed to secure another win over the Clippers, improving to 5–5.
After the game, head coach Jordan Ott downplayed concerns about potential missed time, emphasizing the team’s mindset. “This team will have no excuses,” Ott said. “We lace them up, go out and play.”
Phoenix has experience navigating stretches without Green, and the recent return of Dillon Brooks provides additional stability on the wing as the team awaits further evaluation of Green’s injury.
The Suns will return home to face New Orleans Pelicans Monday.
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