Dillon Brooks Leads Suns Past Cavaliers In Statement Win

The Phoenix Suns delivered a statement victory on January 30, 2026, overpowering the Cleveland Cavaliers 126-113 at the Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix. In front of a packed house of 17,071 fans, the Suns not only snapped the Cavaliers’ five-game winning streak but also evened up their season series, sending a clear message to the rest of the NBA that they’re a force to be reckoned with—injuries or not.

Coming into the contest, both teams were battered and missing key contributors. The Cavaliers, boasting one of the league’s best records at 29-20 before tip-off, were without three important rotation players: Evan Mobley (left calf strain), Darius Garland (right great toe sprain), and Max Strus (left foot surgery). Craig Porter Jr. was also sidelined with left knee soreness, and two others, Tristan Enaruna and Luke Travers, were on G League assignments. For Phoenix, the absence of their leading scorer, Devin Booker, due to a sprained right ankle, loomed large. Bradley Beal and Jusuf Nurkić had missed recent games, and the Suns’ backcourt depth was further tested with Collin Gillespie listed as questionable with a hand injury and Jalen Green just returning from a hamstring issue. But if this game proved anything, it’s that next-man-up mentality can still produce fireworks.

Right from the start, the Suns played with energy and urgency, capitalizing on Cleveland’s turnover woes. By halftime, Phoenix led 52-47, despite shooting just 38.8% from the field and 9-of-27 from beyond the arc. The difference? The Cavaliers coughed up the ball 15 times in the first half alone, leading to 21 Phoenix points. That’s no fluke—Phoenix ranked third in the NBA in both forced turnovers (16.8 per game) and points off turnovers (21.3 per game) entering the night.

Dillon Brooks, fresh off a career-high 40-point performance against Detroit the previous night, continued his hot streak. Brooks poured in a game-high 27 points on 9-of-14 shooting, including 2-of-4 from deep and a near-perfect 7-of-8 at the line. His relentless aggression set the tone for the Suns, who led by as many as 33 points in the second half. "We’re finding our rhythm, especially with guys out," Brooks said postgame. "Everyone’s stepping up. That’s what good teams do."

Supporting Brooks was a balanced Phoenix attack. Jordan Goodwin came off the bench to chip in 17 points, drilling five three-pointers and providing a spark during decisive stretches. Collin Gillespie, thrust into a starting role, responded with 16 points and five assists, while Grayson Allen (13 points, five rebounds, five assists) and Royce O’Neale (12 points, five rebounds) rounded out a starting five that made life tough for Cleveland on both ends.

Jalen Green’s return was another subplot. The 23-year-old guard, acquired in the blockbuster deal that sent Kevin Durant to Houston, had played just four games for the Suns before being sidelined again with hamstring trouble. Against the Cavaliers, Green contributed 11 points in 16 minutes, including a pair of timely threes in the third quarter that helped Phoenix extend its lead. Green’s night wasn’t without drama—he took a hard fall after a tangle with Jarrett Allen, suffering a left hip contusion. Though he exited briefly, Green returned to the floor before being held out of the fourth quarter as a precaution. "We just want him to be comfortable," Suns coach Jordan Ott explained. "This is just the first step of many. We want him healthy. We want him to feel right."

For Cleveland, the night was a frustrating one. De’Andre Hunter led the Cavaliers with 17 points off the bench, while Donovan Mitchell and Jaylon Tyson each added 16. But Mitchell, the team’s offensive engine, struggled under the Suns’ swarming defense, finishing with a season-high eight turnovers—just one shy of his career mark. The Cavaliers as a whole committed 22 turnovers, leading to a whopping 36 Phoenix points. "We didn’t take care of the ball and they made us pay," said Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson, who was ejected early in the fourth quarter after picking up his second technical. Atkinson’s exit came as the Suns ballooned their lead to 30 points, all but sealing the result with plenty of time left on the clock.

The third quarter proved decisive. Phoenix outscored Cleveland 45-32 in that frame, with Brooks, Goodwin, and Green all connecting from deep. The Suns finished the night a blistering 23-of-48 from three-point range (47.9%), a mark that dwarfed Cleveland’s 15-of-48 (31.3%). Even with the Cavaliers winning the rebounding battle (52-49) and tallying more assists (34 to Phoenix’s 31), the turnover differential and Phoenix’s outside shooting were simply too much to overcome.

Looking at the bigger picture, this win pushed the Suns to 30-19, marking the first time they’ve been 11 games above .500 this season. They also improved to 17-6 at home, a testament to their resilience despite missing their superstar. The victory was Phoenix’s third straight, all with Booker out of the lineup. The Cavaliers, meanwhile, dropped to 29-21, but remain firmly in the Eastern Conference’s upper echelon.

The Suns’ starting lineup—Collin Gillespie, Grayson Allen, Dillon Brooks, Royce O’Neale, and Mark Williams—executed Ott’s game plan to perfection. The Cavaliers countered with Donovan Mitchell, Sam Merrill, Jaylon Tyson, Dean Wade, and Jarrett Allen, but the absence of Garland, Mobley, and Strus was glaring, especially when it came to perimeter defense and secondary scoring.

Statistically, the game was a tale of two approaches. Cleveland’s interior play kept them afloat early, with Jarrett Allen notching 12 points and seven rebounds. But the Suns’ perimeter barrage and transition play ultimately dictated terms. Phoenix’s bench outscored Cleveland’s reserves, and the Suns got contributions up and down the roster—eight players scored at least four points, and the team racked up 15 steals to the Cavaliers’ 13.

Both teams now turn their attention to upcoming challenges. Cleveland heads to Portland for a Sunday night tilt, looking to get back on track and potentially welcome back some of their injured stars. Phoenix, meanwhile, concludes its homestand against the Los Angeles Clippers on February 1, with hopes that Booker’s re-evaluation brings good news. The Suns’ ability to thrive despite adversity is turning heads across the league.

On a night when stars were sidelined and rotations were stretched, it was Phoenix’s depth, defense, and hot shooting that carried the day. With momentum building and reinforcements on the horizon, the Suns are showing they’re much more than a one-man show—and the rest of the Western Conference is officially on notice.