Suns Make Big Starting Lineup Change vs Grizzlies

The Phoenix Suns announced a big change to their starting lineup ahead of tonight's game against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Mark Williams will enter the starting group after being on a minutes restriction so far this season coming off a 25-point, 11-rebound double-double in Monday's 138-134 overtime loss to the Utah Jazz.

This comes after the Suns (1-3) released unfortunate news earlier today that Jalen Green would be out for the fifth-straight game despite being upgraded to questionable on yesterday's injury report.

The Suns will be also be without Dillon Brooks (right groin soreness) for the second-straight game.

Coach Jordan Ott said pregame both players were day-to-day and that Green did not have a setback in his recovery.

Ott detailed Green's frustration of not being on the court so far.

“He was born to play basketball," Ott said. "He's such a competitive, positive-spirited person. When he doesn't get to do what he wants to do, there's going to be some frustration, and that's normal for the guys that I've been around.

"I don't think this is anything abnormal, but we also know we got to be smart with this. And it's an 82-game season, so he wants to get out there, he wants to get out there in a Suns uniform and hopefully soon.”

Grayson Allen and Royce O'Neale will once again replace Green and Brooks in the starting five.

Here is what Phoenix's full starting group will be against Memphis:

• Devin Booker
• Grayson Allen
• Royce O'Neale
• Ryan Dunn
• Mark Williams

More on the Starters

Booker comes into tonight averaging 28.5 points and 6.8 assists after recording a season-high 34 points and 10 assists against Utah. Still, Booker is averaging five turnovers per game so far, so he will look to correct these mistakes even without key scorers next to him.

Allen gets his fifth-straight start in relief of Green after averaging a career-high 17.5 points and 5.5 assists in 34.8 minutes per game so far this season. He has improved his playmaking this season as a result of being thrust into a bigger role with Green out.

O'Neale remains in the starting lineup in place of Brooks after finishing with 17 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists and five steals in his first start against the Jazz. Without Green and Brooks, the Suns needed any offensive help they could get, which led to O'Neale attempting a career-high 17 shots versus the Jazz, showing that he's not afraid to let if fly offensively in Phoenix's new system.

Dunn, who is averaging 7.8 points and 6.0 rebounds, gets his fifth start of the year after he only played 17 minutes against Utah. Dunn has showcased a much improved offensive skillset this season, but has struggled to get consistent minutes when he finds himself in foul trouble. Ott said that Dunn would have "great test tonight" defensively being matched up against Grizzlies star guard Ja Morant.

Williams replaces Oso Ighodaro in the starting lineup and his presence at the rim on both sides of the ball will be a huge boost for the Suns as they look to correct their starting woes. Williams will remain on a target number of Williams, Ott said pregame.

Ott added:

"There's still just a target number for Mark. The other night in Utah, we went to overtime, part of Mark's (plan) is how he responds afterwards, and everything looked good. So that was a big hurdle for all of us, yet there's still a target there of competitive minutes that we are looking to see from him.

"And then again, it's going to be a game-by-game thing with Mark over the course of the season, because this is a long-term plan for him in his career.”

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