Booker, Goodwin, Weems state their case in Phoenix Suns preseason defeat

PHOENIX, Ariz. – Preseason play can lead to regular season minutes, or not.

Devin Booker, Archie Goodwin and Sonny Weems all are hoping for rotation inclusion this season with the Phoenix Suns, though the likelihood of that shooting guard-trio each garnering court time on a nightly basis is going to be difficult to manage for head coach Jeff Hornacek.

There just aren’t enough minutes.

In other words, someone is going to have to separate themselves from the pack, or Hornacek will just go with the hot hand.

Weems got the start in Tuesday night’s 135-129 preseason overtime loss to Houston at Talking Stick Resort Arena, sharing the backcourt with Brandon Knight in the absence of Eric Bledsoe, who was battling an illness and did not dress.

Weems, back in the NBA after four professional seasons overseas, made five of his eight field goal attempts, four of which came on dunks.  He added three rebounds and four assists with one turnover and five fouls in 31 minutes.

Goodwin flashed with 11 points, four rebounds, three assists and a steal, though he turned the ball over four times in 24 minutes.  He banked in his only made three-pointer, hitting the first-quarter attempt as the shot clock expired.

Booker, meanwhile, enjoyed the best night statistically of the three.  The rookie from Kentucky scored 15 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter, going 4-of-9 with two trifectas.

“Just out there trying to win,” said Booker, whose 20 points in 22 minutes surpassed his top effort in his one and only season at Kentucky a year ago.  “That was our team’s goal, so Coach went with a small lineup.  We didn’t a lot of running, and it worked out well for us.”

Added Hornacek about the Suns’ first-round draft pick, “He knows how to play.  He hit that first three (and) once you get the reputation of a shooter, they’re going to try to run you off that line, and that’s when he was smart enough to just drive it.  He got a couple buckets that way.  He made a nice kick-out to Mirza (Teletovic) for a three in the corner.  Again, for an 18-year-old kid to come out there and make the plays an seem pretty calm out there, that’s great.”

Booker, Goodwin and Weems all spent time together on the floor during a 29-8 fourth-quarter run that saw the Suns turn a 16-point deficit into a five-point advantage, 116-111, with 49 seconds remaining.

Over that nearly seven-minute stretch, Booker had 10 points and 2 assists; Goodwin two points with an assist and steal; and Weems two points and two assists.

“I don’t even know how to explain that fourth quarter,” Hornacek said, referring to his team’s 37-20 advantage in the final 12 minutes of regulation.  “That was a pickup game down at the park.  They were missing shots and layups and we came down and got back in the game.  Those guys fought.  They didn’t quit on it, they kept going.”

T.J. Warren led all Suns scorers with 21 points on 9-of-16 shooting.  He had 13 points in the fourth quarter.

Teletovic finished with a double-double (19 points and 12 rebounds), while Markieff Morris (13 points) and Knight (11) each hit double figures.

In addition to Bledsoe missing the game, both Tyson Chandler (back spasms) and Alex Len (right ankle sprain) sat out as a precaution.

Several Rockets were sidelined as well: James Harden (right knee bruise), Dwight Howard (back tightness), Ty Lawson (bruised left torso), Donatas Motiejunas (back pain) and Marcus Thornton (left eyelid laceration).

The Suns have three more preseason games left, all of which are on the road.  They’ll stop at Denver, San Antonio and Dallas before opening the regular season against the Mavericks on Oct. 28.

“There are still a couple of roster spots, there are minutes up for grabs and we just want to see them go out there and see how they handle it every night,” Hornacek said.

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