Suns Reveal Starting Lineup vs Clippers

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PHOENIX -- The Phoenix Suns continue their seven-game homestand tonight against the Los Angeles Clippers, looking to bounce back after last night's 122-96 loss to the San Antonio Spurs.
The Suns (3-6) and Clippers (2-7) have both struggled to begin the year, and Phoenix actually has a worse net rating (-8.1) than L.A. (-3.7), which lost seven games in a row before a victory over the New Orleans Pelicans Sunday night.
Phoenix will be getting back a key bench piece tonight, as Jordan Goodwin will return from a three-game absence due to a calf injury, leaving Mark Williams (left shoulder surgery) as the only player out tonight.
"His energy, his defensive presence. Offensively, he continues to grow," Suns coach Jordan Ott said of getting Goodwin back. "I think he's had a great start to the season offensively, being great in the paint when he gets there, and then the 3-point shooting piece. He's really developed into a really good 3-point shooter. So good to have him back."
The Clippers will be without Brandon Ingram (right heel surgery), former Sun Bradley Beal (right knee injury management), Yanic Konan Niederhauser (right Lisfranc surgery), Cam Christie (right ankle sprain) and Jordan Miller (left rotator cuff surgery).
Suns' Starters vs. Clippers
The Suns will stick with the starting lineup they have used the past three games:
- Devin Booker
- Jalen Green
- Dillon Brooks
- Miles Bridges
- Oso Ighodaro
Phoenix is now 2-1 when starting this lineup after earning wins over the Orlando Magic and Houston Rockets last week before falling to the Spurs yesterday.
There are still some questions about the fit of these players together, especially with Green moving into more a playmaking role, something he has not had much success with so far.
The Suns will try to take a step forward tonight against a Clippers team that has allowed opponents to shoot 49% against them this year (29th in the NBA).
Suns Want to Set Intent Early
After getting blown out by the Spurs following two impressive wins, the Suns will try to quickly move on tonight.
Ott wants Phoenix to establish its effort on the defensive end against the Clippers.
"It always starts with our defense. Every night's a new challenge," Ott said. "Tonight, it's an incredibly quick guard (Darius Garland), and then a shooting 5-man (Brook Lopez). So that's a little bit of a different challenge for us defensively. Their second unit really moved the ball the other night against the Pelicans, so it's kind of a change of pace type of group. We need to have our defensive intent ready from the get-go."
Tonight's game will tip off shortly after 7 p.m. MST.

Brendan Mau is a staff writer for Suns on SI. Brendan has been a credentialed media member covering the Suns since 2023 and holds a bachelor’s degree in sports journalism from Arizona State’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism. Follow Brendan on X @Brendan_Mau for more news, updates, analysis and more!