Suns Get Dillon Brooks Back, Return To Orlando After The February Thriller

The Phoenix Suns visit the Orlando Magic in a matchup that carries more weight than a typical late-season game. Phoenix enters on a two-game winning streak, while Orlando is trying to recover after a difficult stretch that included one of the most lopsided losses in recent NBA history.

This is also the first meeting between the teams since a dramatic double-overtime game in which Jalen Green ended it with a fading buzzer-beating three. The Suns now head into the rematch with a key rotation boost, as Dillon Brooks is expected to return after missing 18 games with a fractured left hand.

Phoenix gets a major defensive and scoring boost

Brooks’ return matters because of what he gives Phoenix on both ends of the floor. In 50 games this season, he has emerged as one of the team’s most important players, averaging 21 points while helping anchor perimeter defense.

Phoenix has felt his absence in the standings and in the rotation. The Suns are 12-13 when Brooks does not play this season, and they have had to absorb several injuries during his stint on the sideline.

Brooks’ injury also adds a notable layer to the matchup because it happened against Orlando. That detail makes this game a quick revisit to a difficult moment for Phoenix, but it also gives the Suns a chance to respond with a healthier lineup.

What the recent form says

Phoenix has stabilized after a rough run that saw the team lose six of seven. Back-to-back wins over Utah and Memphis came by more than 20 points in each game, giving the Suns some momentum before another road test.

Orlando, meanwhile, has cooled off sharply after a strong post-All-Star break start. The Magic have gone 3-7 in their last 10 games and currently sit eighth in the Eastern Conference. Their recent loss to Toronto was especially alarming, as the Raptors produced a 31-0 run, the longest scoring run in NBA history.

Injury report for both teams

1. Suns: Amir Coffey, Haywood Highsmith, and Mark Williams are out.
2. Magic: Anthony Black, Colin Castleton, Jonathan Isaac, Alex Morales, and Franz Wagner are out.

Phoenix still has some uncertainty around minute distribution, especially with Brooks returning from a long absence. The coaching staff may ease him back into game rhythm, although the injury involved his non-shooting hand and should not greatly limit his movement or scoring range.

Matchup factors to watch

The Suns have relied heavily on Jalen Green and Devin Booker while Brooks has been sidelined. Both guards have carried the offense, while Collin Gillespie has shifted into a smaller role in the scoring hierarchy.

That dynamic could change quickly with Brooks back in the mix. Phoenix has not had much time this season to fully integrate Brooks, Booker, and Green together, since Green was still working back from a hamstring injury when some of those lineups appeared.

Orlando also faces its own workload challenge, since the team is at home but trying to recover from recent defensive collapses. Phoenix, by contrast, arrives with some rest help after several starters played fewer than 26 minutes in the previous game, including Booker and Green.

What can decide the game

1. Early pressure from Phoenix can reduce the impact of tired legs in the second half.
2. Orlando must avoid another slow defensive stretch after its recent collapse.
3. Brooks’ return could help Phoenix control the perimeter and improve shot quality.
4. The Suns’ depth may be tested if Brooks is limited in his first game back.

Phoenix also remains without one of its top frontcourt options in Mark Williams, so the Suns may need balanced scoring from the wing and backcourt to cover that gap. If the team gets a strong opening and keeps its rotation efficient, it can make Orlando chase the game instead of settling into a half-court rhythm.

The Magic have the home court and the rest advantage, but the Suns showed in the previous meeting that they can handle Orlando even without a full lineup. With Brooks back and both Booker and Green in form, Phoenix enters with enough firepower to make this rematch competitive from the start.