Dillon Brooks blasts the referees after the close of the Suns-Hawks contest

PHOENIX – No Grayson Allen and Jaylen Green, but a sublime performance from Dillon Brooks? It was still a problem for Phoenix Sunswhich fell to the Atlanta Hawks 124-122 on Sunday.

While one of the stories was a battle between Suns coach Jordan Ott and Hawks head coach Quin SnyderPhoenix’s bread and butter was on display.

Hustle, grit, determination and heavy production, all thanks to Brooks. He played 36 minutes and exploded in the third quarter, scoring 16 of the team’s 37 points. The Suns forward finished with 34 points for the game.

Turnovers, deep 3-point shooting and easy transition points widened the narrow gap between Phoenix and Atlanta. It sparked just what the team needed.

On his 15th and 16th points of the third quarter, he turned to the sideline, turned on a fan and hurried back in transition on defense.

Before that, however, Brooks shot 5-12 and had 14 points. It felt like the change was reversed in an instant, and maybe it was.

However, that doesn’t excuse all behavior, such as Brooks’ technical foul afterward Hawks star Zachary Rizaher went down with an injury. After that, Atlanta went on an 18-0 run to cut the lead to single digits.

That’s it all that was on his mind.

“It should be reviewed and literally take the whole game and realize that he (Zachary Rizaher) was hurt at the same time, don’t call (it) dead,” Brooks explained outside the team’s locker room after the game.

“You snap the ball, you’re in transition. You call the play dead and people call it; you want to call the T and change the other thing. That needs to be reviewed, and somebody needs to be penalized. S**t, I’m penalized for calling them.”

Jordan Ott feels when Dillon Brooks flips a switch for the Suns

Typically, coaches can sense when a player becomes too aggressive. That’s not the case with Brooks. In fact, it’s quite the opposite for him. Maintaining that assertiveness and aggression from the jump is how the Suns want to identify themselves.

Could that technical error or the increased effort and diligence of the Hawks on the defensive end have been more of a factor? Probably the latter, but the official’s controversial call is not ideal either.

That’s something Ott needs to look at, but he he doesn’t want to overanalyze that was it.

I asked Jordan Ott about balancing Dillon Brooks’ emotions on the court.

He was fouled during the fourth quarter, which was part of an 18-0 run by the Hawks.

“It’s not his first year. He knows exactly what he’s doing. Sometimes we get together. We need that energy.” pic.twitter.com/K8VRViiedI

— Hayden Cilley (@HaidenCilley) November 17, 2025

“That part of Dillon Brooks is why we love him,” Ott explained after the game. His energy, especially here at home, connects them every night. This extreme level of competition, we feel it. The whole building obviously feels it on nights like tonight.

“This isn’t his first year. He knows exactly what he’s doing. Sometimes we come together. We need that energy.”

The Suns lost momentum after a Dillon Brooks technical foul

Now the foul was not entirely on Brooks. After all, he wanted to hold the officials accountable for continuing the game after Rizacher was injured.

Still, that didn’t explain Atlanta’s late 20-0 run, led by plenty of fast-break opportunities and defense-to-attack.

But the Hawks’ length, defensive pressure in the half court and the use of Onyeka Okongwu on the perimeter as an initiator played to the Suns’ undoing.

Either way, they’ll hit the road against the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday. It will be a quick turnaround, and they will be playing a team very similar to Atlanta.

For Brooks’ sake, he’ll be hoping the play is called right down the middle.