Jordan Ott’s efficiency-driven blueprint and Devin Booker’s elite shotmaking provide a sustainable foundation for Phoenix to dominate late-game pressure and defy traditional regression in tight contests.
There's little doubt that Phoenix Suns head coach Jordan Ott has done a superb job of crafting the organization's culture over the last 15 months.
One piece of the newfound culture is being built to win close games, as demonstrated by the 19 "clutch time" victories they pulled off in 2025-26.
While conventional wisdom leads to a conclusion that winning such a volume of tight contests is unsustainable long-term, the Phoenix culture forms an argument to the contrary.
Variation in clutch moments in NBA play is among the most challenging things to predict/pinpoint in all of sports. However, the Suns have several data points and reserves that back up the team's sustainability in close games moving forward.
The clearest argument to curate in Phoenix's chops in the clutch is a clear-cut one. Ott's blueprint is a utilitarian approach, which thins the margins of closer contests. Phoenix generates the highest amount of quality looks that are possible on average, while also limiting turnovers - particularly in high-leverage moments.
This squeezes the margins even more thin for the opposition, especially when Phoenix's scoring facilities are built around efficiency. The opponent must adjust to the way the Suns are playing rather than the other way around more often than not.
Beyond the playstyle advantage, there is a strong internal sense of continuity among the roster. Sure, newcomers Miles Bridges and Luke Kennard must be worked into the Phoenix lineup. Despite this, the core of the roster is largely intact, making pre-established roles and built-up chemistry more simple to carry out in crucial moments.
Perhaps the most crucial reasoning behind Phoenix's pattern of strong play in the clutch being sustainable is the star power and crunch-time shotmaking that star guard Devin Booker provides. The dynamic scorer has nine carer game-winning shots to his name through 11 seasons in the league, with many other clutch moments outside of the final seconds of the game to show for his big-play tendencies.
The combination of the way in which the Suns play, the built-in continuity, and Booker thriving in big-moment situations lends credence to the Suns being fully capable of pulling off narrow victories at a high volume once again in 2026-27.
The first opportunity to see the Suns in action this season is right around the corner. Phoenix opens preseason play on Oct. 3 against the Detroit Pistons in a game on the road.
