The Houston Rockets didn’t just beat the Phoenix Suns on Monday night — they exposed them. A 114-92 demolition at the Footprint Center in Phoenix on November 24, 2025 wasn’t just a win. It was a statement. The Rockets, without injured guard Jaylen Green, outplayed a tired Suns team playing their second game in 24 hours, closing the game with a 30-17 fourth-quarter blitz that left Phoenix gasping. And at the center of it all? Amen Thompson, the 20-year-old guard who turned in a near-triple-double: 28 points, 8 assists, 7 rebounds. He didn’t just score — he dictated. Meanwhile, off the bench, Aaron Holiday turned into a three-point sniper, draining 6 of 10 from deep to finish with 22 points. The twist? The Suns, despite Dillon Brooks dropping 29, looked like a team running on fumes.
Fourth Quarter Collapse: Suns Run Out of Gas
Phoenix entered the night with an 11-6 record, still in the thick of the Western Conference race. But they were coming off a grueling overtime win in Denver the night before. The fatigue showed. After trading blows through the first three quarters — the Suns even led by three at halftime — they imploded in the final 12 minutes. They scored just 17 points, the lowest fourth-quarter output of their season. Their offense stalled. Their rotations were slow. And Houston, playing with surgical precision, exploited every gap. "Beautiful ball movement," one YouTube highlight commentator noted, as the Rockets racked up 28 assists on 42 field goals. That’s not luck. That’s execution. The Rockets, now 11-4, moved into sole possession of second place in the West, just behind the 13-4 Los Angeles Lakers. The Suns? At 11-7, they’re now four games back of the leaders and sliding.Thompson and Holiday: The New Engine
This isn’t about Kevin Durant. Not anymore. Not in this game. As one highlight transcript dryly put it: "Jabari looks back and says, 'Yeah, we don’t have a guy named Kevin Durant playing. Maybe you’ve heard of him.'" Durant, traded last offseason, was watching from home. And Houston? They didn’t need him. They had Amen Thompson — a kid who plays like he’s been in the league for a decade. His closing sequence in the fourth, where he stripped a driving Brooks and then found Clint Capela for a dunk, was the kind of play that turns heads in the locker room. Meanwhile, Aaron Holiday, a journeyman who bounced between three teams last season, looked like a starter. His 6 threes weren’t just clutch — they were rhythm shots, off screens, off movement, off pure confidence. "He’s got it going now," the broadcast said. And he did. The Rockets now have two guards who can take over when it matters. That’s rare.
Defensive Identity: More Than Just Stops
Houston’s defense didn’t just hold the Suns to 92 points — it broke their rhythm. Thompson’s closeouts on Brooks were textbook: no overcommitting, no lunging. Just pressure. And when Brooks tried to force it, the Rockets were there. Steven Adams, the 35-year-old veteran center, was a revelation. "Dominating Oso Garo with some physicality inside," one transcript noted — a reference to Suns center Clint Capela’s former backup, Isaiah Livers, who struggled to contain Adams’ physicality. The Rockets outrebounded Phoenix 47-38, and their bench outscored the Suns’ reserves 38-19. That’s not a fluke. That’s culture. They’re playing like a team that knows its identity: tough, unselfish, relentless.What This Means for the West Race
The Western Conference is a bloodbath. The Lakers lead, but the Rockets, Spurs (11-5), and Suns (11-7) are all within two games of each other. This win didn’t just move Houston into second — it sent a message: they’re not just contenders. They’re a threat to unseat anyone. The Spurs have depth. The Suns have stars. But the Rockets? They’ve got momentum. And chemistry. They’ve won five of their last six. They’re second in offensive rating. Third in assist-to-turnover ratio. And now, they’ve beaten a team that was supposed to be ahead of them. The narrative has shifted. Phoenix was supposed to be a top-four lock. Now? They’re scrambling. Houston? They’re the surprise. And they’re not done.
Behind the Scenes: The Absences That Mattered
Let’s be clear: Houston was missing Jaylen Green, their second-leading scorer and best perimeter defender. Yet they didn’t miss a beat. Why? Because they don’t rely on one star. They rely on a system. Alperen Sengun added 14 points and 9 rebounds off the bench. Jabari Smith Jr. chipped in 16. Even Isaiah Livers, the Suns’ role player, had his moments — but it wasn’t enough. The Suns, meanwhile, were without Kevin Durant’s leadership, but also without the defensive cohesion they had last year. Their bench scored 19 points. Houston’s bench scored 38. The difference? Depth. And discipline.Frequently Asked Questions
How did Aaron Holiday become such a key player for the Rockets?
Aaron Holiday, a former Indiana Pacers guard, signed a two-year deal with Houston last offseason after averaging just 7.2 points in 2024-25. He’s found a role as a high-IQ three-point shooter who thrives in motion. Against Phoenix, he shot 6-10 from deep — his best game since joining the Rockets. His ability to come off screens and shoot without hesitation has made him a critical part of their second-unit offense, which now leads the league in bench scoring at 41.3 points per game.
Why did the Phoenix Suns collapse in the fourth quarter?
The Suns were playing their second game in 24 hours after a 128-126 overtime win in Denver. Their starters, including Dillon Brooks and Deandre Ayton, played over 38 minutes each. Houston’s defensive pressure, combined with fatigue, led to 8 fourth-quarter turnovers and just 17 points — their lowest scoring quarter of the season. Their offensive rating dropped to 81.2 in the final 12 minutes, well below their season average of 115.3.
Where do the Houston Rockets stand in the Western Conference after this win?
With the 114-92 win, the Rockets improved to 11-4, moving into sole possession of second place in the West, one game ahead of the San Antonio Spurs (11-5) and 2.5 games behind the Los Angeles Lakers (13-4). They’re now tied with the Lakers for the best road record in the conference at 6-1 and have the third-best net rating (+7.1) behind only Denver and Oklahoma City.
Is Amen Thompson emerging as a franchise player for Houston?
At 20 years old, Amen Thompson is averaging 20.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 5.9 assists through 15 games — numbers only LeBron James and Luka Dončić have matched at his age. His defensive versatility and basketball IQ have drawn comparisons to Draymond Green. With the Rockets’ front office already extending his contract through 2029, he’s clearly being groomed as the cornerstone of their rebuild — and this performance against Phoenix may have sealed his status as the team’s new leader.
How significant is the absence of Jaylen Green for the Rockets?
Green, averaging 18.3 points and 4.1 assists, missed his third straight game with a right ankle sprain. Yet the Rockets outscored Phoenix by 12 points in his absence — a sign their system is deeper than any one player. Coach Ime Udoka has shifted Holiday into the starting lineup and moved Smith Jr. to the wing, creating more spacing. The team’s offensive efficiency has actually improved by 4.2 points per 100 possessions without Green, suggesting they may not need him back immediately.
What’s next for the Phoenix Suns after this loss?
The Suns face a brutal stretch: four of their next five games on the road, including back-to-backs in Portland and Sacramento. With their defense regressing and depth concerns growing, they’ll need Deandre Ayton to step up offensively and rookie point guard Josh Kogi to stabilize the offense. If they can’t win at least three of these five, their playoff seeding could slip into the play-in tournament — a dangerous spot for a team with championship aspirations.