With only a few games left in the 2025-26 regular season, the Phoenix Suns’ chances are suddenly looking up. Following a critical stretch of games that saw the Suns (42-30) fluctuate in the standings, they received a positive update on Dillon Brooks. Leave it to their superstar, Devin Booker to bring  a heavy dose of realism to the team’s postseason chances.

After beating the Toronto Raptors 120-98. the Suns moved to the seventh spot. But Book admitted that the elusive top-six seed in the Western Conference, which would allow the team to avoid the volatile Play-In Tournament, is slipping further out of reach.

“To be completely honest, we put ourselves in a tough position to make it to that six now,” Booker told reporters. “Right now we’re staying focused on playing the right brand of basketball, right style of basketball, learn from the past 5 games before this and just continue to move forward.”

The All-Star guard’s comments come as the Suns attempt to find their rhythm following a series of inconsistent performances without Dillon Brooks’ offensive energy. Despite the pressure of the looming postseason, Devin Booker emphasized that the team’s mentality remains resilient regardless of their final seeding. “Whatever happens, if it’s play-ins, then we’ll handle that,” he added.

The “tough position” Booker referenced stems from a grueling five-game losing skid where the Suns struggled to maintain defensive consistency. Before tonight’s win, they were trailing behind the surging Los Angeles Lakers and LA Clippers.

However, there is a glimmer of hope on the horizon for the Suns’ defense, as a key reinforcement is reportedly preparing to rejoin the rotation for the final push.

Devin Booker’s Suns look at Dillon Brooks’ return for deep run

The Suns’ high energy identity has been noticeably hampered by the absence of Dillon Brooks, who has been sidelined with a fractured left hand suffered on February 21st against the Orlando Magic. He had surgery on it a month ago and had a few run-ins with the law during his break.

He’s however made some optimistic progress in his recovery. Suns insider, Felix Cruz reported that forward Dillon Brooks is “very close” to returning on the court.

Brooks was a marquee defensive acquisition for Phoenix this offseason. He was being looked at the key to bringing aggression and scoring bite the Suns needed for deep playoff runs. In Brooks’ absence, the Suns have been forced to rely heavily on a scarce bench.

As the Suns sit currently in the 7th spot, they need three or four wins to push the Minnesota Timberwolves out of the spot. That makes every game a must-win to leapfrog into that coveted 6th seed. While the math is difficult, the return of Brooks provides a psychological and physical boost.