Overview
- The Suns beat the Golden State Warriors 131-122 on Oct. 24, with Devin Booker scoring 43 points in a win that nevertheless exposed starter inconsistencies.
- Booker told reporters that the second unit currently has more chemistry than the starting group and that the starters should learn from the bench's unselfish play.
- Reserves Luke Kennard and Collin Gillespie posted strong plus-minus marks (+15 and +16) while Booker was only +2, a box-score split many analysts used to illustrate the bench's impact.
- Writers flagged specific starter problems such as help-rotation breakdowns that left three-point shooters open and a gap in rebounding urgency that allowed opponents extra possessions.
- Coverage says Jordan Ott must clarify roles and accelerate repetitions for the starting five—acknowledging the sample is tiny after two games but warning that unresolved issues could hurt Phoenix's season goals.