The Jan. 15 matchup between the Phoenix Suns and the Detroit Pistons wasn't just another January slog. It was weird. Actually, it was kind of a mess, but in that beautiful, high-stakes way that only late-night NBA League Pass junkies truly appreciate. You had a Detroit team that has somehow transformed from a perennial lottery resident into the beast of the Eastern Conference. Then you had a Phoenix squad playing without the gravitational pull of Devin Booker.
Detroit won 108-105.
That score doesn't really tell the story of how the Suns controlled almost the entire game before the wheels just... fell off. If you’re a Suns fan, you’re probably still staring at the box score wondering how Grayson Allen’s 33 points went to waste. If you’re rooting for Detroit, you’re likely still buzzing about Jalen Duren’s absolute monster performance on the glass.
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The Grind at Little Caesars Arena
Playing in Detroit used to be a "schedule win" for elite Western Conference teams. Not anymore. J.B. Bickerstaff has these guys playing a brand of defense that feels like a throwback to the "Bad Boys" era, minus the flagrant fouls. They’re physical. They’re long. They basically make you hate playing basketball for 48 minutes.
Phoenix came out hot, though. Despite Booker being sidelined with that nagging injury, the Suns’ ball movement was crisp early on. Grayson Allen was unconscious from deep. It felt like the Suns were going to pull off a statement road win. They led by as many as 16 points.
Honestly, the Pistons looked flat for three quarters. Cade Cunningham, returning from a wrist injury, couldn’t buy a bucket. He went 3-for-16 from the field. In most seasons, a 3-for-16 night from your franchise player is a death sentence. But this 2025-26 Pistons team is different. They have depth that actually matters.
Why the Phoenix Suns v Detroit Pistons Rivalry is Simmering
There's a bit of extra "spice" in this matchup now. Remember the massive trade that sent Kevin Durant to Houston? Part of the fallout brought Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green to Phoenix. Brooks, being the professional agitator he is, has already found ways to get under the skin of the Detroit faithful.
The Suns are currently fighting for a top-six spot in the West, sitting at 24-17 after this loss. They’ve been much better lately—9-2 in their last 11 before hitting this Detroit wall. Coach Jordan Ott has them playing a scrappy defensive style, but when you miss 14 free throws in a three-point game, you’re asking for trouble.
- Free Throw Woes: Phoenix left way too many points at the line.
- The Duren Factor: Jalen Duren finished with 16 points and 18 rebounds. He owned the paint.
- Bench Spark: Jaden Ivey came off the bench for 15 crucial points when the starters were stagnant.
The Fourth Quarter Collapse
What really happened in that final frame? Phoenix entered the fourth with a lead, but the energy in Little Caesars Arena shifted. The Pistons started chipping away. It wasn’t flashy. It was just Tobias Harris hitting a veteran jumper here, and Ausar Thompson suffocating someone on the perimeter there.
Detroit outscored Phoenix 33-19 in the second quarter and stayed resilient when the Suns pushed back in the third. By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, the Suns looked gassed. Without Booker to stabilize the offense in "clutch time," the possessions got sloppy.
Cade Cunningham might have struggled with his shot, but his playmaking didn't waver. He finished with 11 assists. He found Duncan Robinson for a few timely threes that kept the momentum swinging toward the home team. Then, the dagger: Tobias Harris hit a go-ahead jumper that essentially sealed the deal.
A Look at the Numbers
| Metric | Phoenix Suns | Detroit Pistons |
|---|---|---|
| Final Score | 105 | 108 |
| Field Goal % | 41.4% | 45.8% |
| 3PT % | 37.0% | 28.1% |
| Top Scorer | Grayson Allen (33) | Cade Cunningham (26.2 avg / 11 pts tonight) |
| Rebounds | Mark Williams (low impact) | Jalen Duren (18) |
It's interesting to see Phoenix shoot nearly 10% better from three and still lose. That tells you everything you need to know about Detroit's interior dominance and the Suns' inability to convert at the charity stripe.
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What This Means for the Standings
Detroit is currently 29-10. Let that sink in. They are the #1 seed in the East. People keep waiting for the regression, but it hasn't come. They are 2nd in the league in Defensive Rating, and it shows.
Phoenix is in a tougher spot. They are 7th in the West, just a game or two out of that guaranteed playoff safety zone. The Western Conference is a bloodbath this year. Oklahoma City is running away with the top seed, but the gap between 2nd and 9th is basically a coin flip every night.
How to Bet the Rematch
The Suns and Pistons meet again very soon—January 29th in Phoenix. If you’re looking at the betting lines for that one, keep a few things in mind:
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- Booker’s Health: If Devin is back, the Suns' offensive floor rises significantly.
- The Revenge Factor: Dillon Brooks doesn't forget losses like this. Expect him to be even more aggressive.
- Detroit's Road Form: The Pistons have been solid on the road (13-6), but playing in the "Mortgage Matchup Center" is a different beast.
The biggest takeaway from this game? Don't sleep on Detroit. They aren't just "cute" or "improved." They are a problem.
For the Suns, this was a missed opportunity. You can't lead by 16 on the road against a top-tier team and let it slip away because of poor free-throw shooting. They need to find a secondary late-game creator if Booker is going to miss more time.
Keep an eye on the injury reports as we head toward the end of January. The standings are going to shift wildly, and this head-to-head tiebreaker could actually matter if we get some weird cross-conference seeding implications (unlikely, but hey, it's the NBA).
Next Steps for Fans:
Check the status of Devin Booker’s return before the Jan. 29 rematch. If he’s active, the Suns are a completely different team offensively. Also, watch the trade deadline rumors surrounding Detroit—they might actually be buyers this year to solidify that #1 spot.