Dillon Brooks Suspended After 18th Technical Foul vs Rockets

Merlin sees Dillon Brooks picked up his 18th technical foul against the Bulls and faces a one game suspension for Phoenix's next game at Houston if the call stands. Players are suspended after the 16th technical and every two techs after that. Brooks leads the league and is scoring 20.5 points per game, so his absence hits a 43-35 Suns club fighting for seeding and missing a meeting with the team that traded him for Kevin Durant. Merlin knows the timing stings. With four games left and Phoenix chasing a better seed, the Suns lose toughness and secondary scoring, and prior 0-3 results versus Houston make the matchup harder. If the suspension holds, Phoenix will learn whether depth and discipline can replace Brooks' fire when the stakes are highest.