Lead: The Phoenix Suns edged the Philadelphia 76ers 116-110 on Tuesday in a game that marked Jalen Green’s return to the lineup and showcased the Suns’ depth despite a messy performance. Phoenix began cold — missing its first nine field-goal attempts and failing to hit a 3-pointer in the first 14 minutes — but a midgame shooting surge and a strong bench provided enough cushion. The Suns committed 22 turnovers, their second-highest total this season, with Philly converting those miscues into 28 points. Still, clutch sets late and defensive plays by Green preserved the win and offered a glimpse of the roster’s upside when healthy.
Key Takeaways
- Phoenix won 116-110 on Jan. 21, 2026, in a game that was Jalen Green’s first appearance back with the team.
- The Suns missed their first nine shots and did not make a 3-pointer until after the opening 14 minutes, then finished with 14 made 3s overall.
- Phoenix had 22 turnovers (their second-most this season); Philadelphia scored 28 points off those turnovers.
- Jalen Green logged 20 minutes off the bench in four spurts of 5:49, 3:21, 5:28 and 5:18 and impacted the game mostly without the ball.
- Devin Booker led Phoenix with 27 points; Jordan Goodwin scored 16 and the Suns’ bench outscored Philadelphia’s bench 58-28.
- Tyrese Maxey shot 7-of-25 for 20 points while rookie V.J. Edgecombe finished with 25 on 10-of-21 shooting; Joel Embiid did not play.
- Coach Ott closed the game with a lineup of Booker, Green, Brooks, Allen and Oso Ighodaro, signaling rotation options down the stretch.
Background
The Suns have been trying to integrate new pieces and manage minutes to reach consistent, full-strength lineups. Jalen Green’s availability was viewed as a turning point because his isolation scoring and downhill drives create spacing and mismatches the Suns have lacked. Phoenix’s roster now features several playmakers and wings who can create off-ball movement and shoot from distance, raising expectations for what the team can do over long stretches.
Philadelphia arrived in Game with notable absences and cautious load management; Joel Embiid did not play because of a back-to-back rest decision, and Paul George was effectively a late scratch. Those absences changed matchup dynamics and put more emphasis on Tyrese Maxey and rookie V.J. Edgecombe, who drew heavy minutes and defensive attention. Both clubs are navigating injuries and minute decisions that will shape lineups and strategies as the season unfolds.
Main Event
Phoenix started ice-cold, missing its first nine field-goal attempts and failing to connect from deep for the first 14 minutes, but the offense eventually caught fire in the middle quarters when the team converted 14 threes overall. Turnovers were a persistent problem: the Suns had 14 turnovers by the end of the third quarter and finished with 22, giving Philly multiple easy opportunities. Even so, the Suns’ shooting and bench production repeatedly kept them ahead.
Devin Booker carried a lot of the late offensive load, scoring a game-high 27 points and taking the decisive isolation bucket after a screening action with Grayson Allen. With Green and Allen positioned one pass away, the defense did not rotate in time and Booker scored in the clutch. Green then made plays defensively on subsequent possessions, including an on-ball stop versus the matchup the Sixers had targeted and solid rim defense on a breakaway attempt, preserving a nine-point lead in the final 90 seconds.
Jordan Goodwin continued a hot stretch of play and was critical to the Suns’ second unit, finishing with 16 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals while the bench outscored Philadelphia’s reserves 58-28. Coach Ott used Green in four short spurts (5:49, 3:21, 5:28 and 5:18), keeping him fresh and situationally impactful as he rebuilds chemistry with teammates like Oso Ighodaro in two-man actions and pick-and-roll sequences.
Matchups inside influenced rotations: Mark Williams saw limited, staggered minutes while Ighodaro closed minutes to maintain a different rhythm. The coaching staff experimented with lineups, and late-game decisions pointed to trust in versatile wings off the bench to defend quicker ball-handlers and supply secondary playmaking.
Analysis & Implications
Jalen Green’s return highlighted what the Suns gain when they can stagger scorers and defenders effectively. Even without gaudy counting stats, Green supplied on-ball defense, rim protection in transition and a credible downhill threat that demanded attention and opened space for others. His chemistry with Oso Ighodaro in early two-man actions suggests a repeatable tool Ott can deploy to exploit defenses with dribble-handoffs and quick screens.
The turnover problem remains the most obvious concern. Phoenix’s 22 turnovers gifted Philadelphia 28 points, and while the Suns survived, sustained title-level teams do not typically absorb that many extra possessions. Closing those lapses will be essential; Ott now has more lineup choices to trim high-risk possessions late by leaning on ball-movers like Goodwin or Gillespie if Brooks or others are struggling to move the ball.
Rotation choices are under fresh scrutiny after this game. Mark Williams’ reduced minutes and Ighodaro’s greater usage point toward a potential shift to a three-center rotation or more small-ball minutes that emphasize mobility and switchability. Khaman Maluach’s presence and Williams’ inconsistency make minutes a conversation that could reshape matchups against bigger opponents.
For Philadelphia, Embiid’s absence again underscores load-management realities and contract implications the team must balance. Embiid has three more years of max guaranteed salary beyond this season, while Paul George has two, factors that limit roster construction flexibility even as the Sixers have drafted effectively at guard positions. The Sixers will have to decide how to allocate minutes and resources around those contracts and young scorers like Maxey and Edgecombe.
Comparison & Data
| Stat | Phoenix | Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|
| Final Score | 116 | 110 |
| Turnovers | 22 | N/A |
| Points off TO | N/A | 28 |
| Bench Points | 58 | 28 |
| Leading Scorer | Devin Booker 27 | V.J. Edgecombe 25 |
| Jalen Green Minutes | 20 (5:49/3:21/5:28/5:18) | — |
The table highlights key divergences: Phoenix’s bench advantage (58-28) and the Suns’ costly turnovers were both defining features. While the Suns generated more scoring from their depth, the turnover total kept the game closer than shooting alone would indicate. Edgecombe’s 25 points on 10-of-21 shooting provided a spark for Philadelphia in Embiid’s absence, while Maxey’s 7-of-25 performance shows how Phoenix’s defense impacted the Sixers’ primary playmaker.
Reactions & Quotes
Team and social-media reactions underlined two themes from the game: Booker’s late scoring reliability and Green’s defensive presence on return.
“Book in the clutch… so you know how this clip goes”
Phoenix Suns (official Twitter)
The team’s post emphasized Booker’s game-clinching sequence after the screening action with Grayson Allen, which led to the isolation bucket that shifted momentum back to Phoenix.
“Jalen Green accepts it, & simply guards his yard.”
Stephen PridGeon-Garner (social media analyst)
That observation came after Green’s on-ball defensive possessions in the final minutes, noting his willingness to take and hold the matchup the Sixers targeted earlier in the contest.
“There’s the downhill burst for Jalen Green, which will help Phoenix’s offense to an immense degree.”
Shane Young (NBA analyst)
Analysts highlighted the value of Green’s ability to attack downhill, an attribute that can diversify Phoenix’s scoring threats and create better spacing for shooting wings.
Unconfirmed
- Whether coach Ott will consistently start Jalen Green once he is deemed “fully healthy” is not confirmed; the coach has indicated Green will start when ready but used him off the bench in this contest.
- The extent and timing of a permanent reduction in Mark Williams’ minutes or expansion of Khaman Maluach’s role remain undecided and will depend on future matchups and performance.
Bottom Line
The Suns’ 116-110 victory in Jalen Green’s return combined promising roster depth with recurring turnover issues. Phoenix showed it can manufacture wins through shooting and a high-impact bench, but the 22 turnovers and defensive lapses are vulnerabilities that will be exposed against elite opponents if unaddressed.
Green’s return adds a crucial attacking and defensive element that Ott can exploit through two-man actions and staggered minutes, and the bench’s performance reinforced the team’s flexibility. The coming weeks should reveal whether Phoenix tightens ball security and settles on a closing lineup that balances Booker’s scoring with the newfound versatility Green brings.