When The Game's On The Line, Suns Need to Use These Lineups

PHOENIX -- The Phoenix Suns have some room to grow when it comes to closing out games after ranking last in the NBA in points per game in the fourth quarter during the 2025-26 season.

Injuries played a big factor in Phoenix not having a lot of consistency with late-game lineups, but there were several times the Suns went cold down the stretch and the offense struggled to work around Devin Booker's gravity as Phoenix also ranked 29th in turnovers in the final period.

One of the biggest tasks for coach Jordan Ott heading into his second season will be devising a formula for the Suns to have much better execution in these late-game scenarios.

Here's a closer look at some of the top closing lineup options the Suns have to choose from in the 2026-27 season:

1. Starters

Devin Booker, Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Miles Bridges, Oso Ighodaro

If the Suns are finally able to stay consistently healthy outside of Mark Williams, who was already lost for an extended time with a torn labrum, the best way to build chemistry with the new-look starting group is to have them play together in these pressure moments.

Ighodaro, who will be battling with Khaman Maluach for the starting center spot, proved to be a great connector late in games, which is why he played over Williams several times down the stretch last season, and he could be a key for unlocking how the four dynamic scorers of Booker, Green, Brooks and Bridges best work together in the clutch.

Booker, Green and Brooks did not get a lot of reps together last season because of injuries, so these three specifically will have to find a way to successfully play off each other or Phoenix could go in a different direction for who plays alongside Booker in these moments.

2. Small Ball

Ex. Collin Gillespie, Devin Booker, Jordan Goodwin, Dillon Brooks, Miles Bridges

The Suns have a lot of options for small-ball lineups that could allow them to play faster in late-game scenarios and be more switchable on defense.

This is a strategy a lot of teams use across the league down the stretch, and Phoenix will be able to do more of after its offseason additions, as Bridges plays much bigger than his size, while Rasheer Fleming, who is set to step into a much bigger role, could also be an option at the 5 in these moments.

The Suns have enough versatility off the bench in terms of defense (Goodwin, Fleming, Ryan Dunn, Haywood Highsmith) and shooting (Gillespie, Luke Kennard, Pat Spencer) that they could use several different variations of these small-ball lineups.

3. Collin Gillespie

Ex. Collin Gillespie, Devin Booker, Dillon Brooks, Miles Bridges, Oso Ighodaro

Gillespie was consistently one of the Suns' top performers late in games and shot 45% from 3-point range on the year in the fourth quarter.

Ott will look to incorporate Gillespie in the fourth any way he can especially if he is knocking down his shots, and he could likely replace any of Green, Brooks or Bridges depending on how they are playing that night.

Gillespie could have a case for Sixth Man of the Year if he doesn't have to be a fill-in starter for the majority of the season again and his fourth-quarter moments could end up being a big reason why.

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