The Phoenix Suns’ lineup is finally healthy at the same time.
Ahead of their Saturday night battle against the Los Angeles Clippers, the Suns will see Mark Williams and Dillon Brooks available after both were questionable on Phoenix’s injury report.
Williams was a late-add due to illness while Brooks had missed the last six games due to a core muscle strain.
For the Clippers, James Harden was also a late add due to illness but he’s active tonight. Kawhi Leonard will again miss action due to his ankle injury.
Opening tip is slated for 8:30 PM MST.
The Suns have undoubtedly missed Brooks’ presence on the floor, and with Jalen Green back in Phoenix’s lineup, the Suns can have Brooks truly embrace a role as the defensive anchor teammates have come to love and know.
“I think we got a lot of guys that are like that, a lot of guys that are hungry, competitive, want to win and will do anything to win,” Suns guard Collin Gillespie said earlier this year.
“But I think Dillon being known as that guy around the league that’s tough, physical, no-nonsense type of stuff, like he won’t take anything, kind of can project that to the rest of the team, and he sets the tone.
“I think once other guys see it, they need to feed off that energy.”
There’s no denying how talented Williams is, though previous injury concerns in his career made some hesitant to plug the former Hornets big man in the starting rotation on a nightly basis.
The Suns have been careful with him, and thus far it’s paid off. Williams has played in eight of Phoenix’s nine games to start the season and is averaging a double-double of 12.3 points and 10 rebounds per night.
Williams is by far the best and most polished center in Phoenix’s rotation. While there’s upside to guys such as Nick Richards, Oso Ighodaro and Khaman Maluach, the Suns are far better when Williams is healthy and available.
“Mark is big. You can see his size out there, both ends,” Suns coach Jordan Ott told reporters earlier in October.
“Offensively, puts pressure on the rim. Defensively, when someone is driving in there, you have to make the decision. re you really going to try to threaten the rim, or are you going to have to kick out? He’s in a good spot.”
Both Williams and Brooks look to give Phoenix a major boost tonight.