Jordan Ott after Suns’ loss in San Antonio: Ryan Dunn has had ‘a great preseason,’ but it’s 48 minutes now

SAN ANTONIO — Oct. 14, 2026 — The Phoenix Suns left Frost Bank Center with a 123-103 preseason loss, a sore Luke Kennard knee and most of their regulars still in street clothes. Coach Jordan Ott spent his postgame session on the parts of the night he liked, starting with Ryan Dunn, and on the one thing his team still has not done this preseason: play well for a full game.

Phoenix rested Devin Booker, Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Miles Bridges, Collin Gillespie and Oso Ighodaro for the rematch with San Antonio. Dunn was one of the few rotation players who did play. He went 6-of-6 from the floor and 3-of-3 at the line for 15 points in 23 minutes, with two blocks and a steal.

“Yeah, he’s had a great preseason,” Ott said. “It starts with the summer, but you don’t know how it’s going to translate. And he’s had a great preseason.”

Ott on Dunn: defense first, and now the cuts and the shot

Ott said Dunn has made a difference at the defensive end in all four exhibition games, and that his offense is starting to catch up.

“His impact defensively, just his activity, length, athleticism, lateral quickness defensively can really impact the opposing team’s ball handlers,” Ott said. “And now he’s figuring out, you know, when to cut. He’s improved his shooting. He’s been able to make an impact on both ends.”

“He’s an incredible worker,” the coach added, “and it’s great to see it pay off.”

Phoenix picked up Dunn’s 2027-28 option on Oct. 1. Before the season, the question with Dunn was whether he could score enough to stay on the floor as a defensive forward. He did not miss a shot from the field on Wednesday, and his coach is now talking about his cutting and his jumper.

Bouyea against 94 feet of pressure

Jamaree Bouyea started at point guard and played the most minutes of any Sun, 27:39. He scored 15 points on 7-of-11 shooting with eight assists and two turnovers. Ott said the matchup made that line harder than it looks.

“Especially at a game like this, where they’re ultra aggressive, pressure the basketball 94 feet, knowing that they have an elite rim protector in the back behind them,” Ott said. “He had to handle a lot of those duties tonight.”

That rim protector was Victor Wembanyama, who blocked four shots in 23 minutes as San Antonio finished with 10 blocks. Ott said the Spurs’ guards made life hard for his whole team, not just Bouyea.

“Our defensive intent from the jump was high level, but their ball pressure bothered us,” he said. “Ball pressure bothered us there in the end of the second.”

About Bouyea himself, Ott said: “We know what he brings: speed, downhill ability. He’s got enough feistiness in him that we need to survive here in the NBA. And he’s been a guy that’s been in the gym all summer, so it’s good to see it pay off.”

‘When it gets to regular season, it’s 48 minutes’

For most of the first half, the Suns stayed with the Spurs. Phoenix led 23-22 after the first quarter before San Antonio won the second 38-26 to go up 60-49 at the break, and the lead reached 92-75 after three. Ott put the night in the same frame as the rest of the Suns’ 1-3 preseason.

“I think overall, that first 21 minutes of the first half, we went toe to toe with them,” he said. “So we put long stretches together. Just when it gets to regular season, it’s 48 minutes, and it’s been different guys. Every night, it’s been different guys. Tonight, obviously, it was a different guy, so in a good place.”

Ott also noted that San Antonio came in “fired up” after resting several regulars in Saturday’s first meeting, which Phoenix won 102-98.

Kennard: ‘We’ll see tomorrow’

Kennard played 13 minutes and 38 seconds before leaving in the first half with what Ott called a sore left knee. The coach did not have a diagnosis after the game.

“I don’t know how serious it is,” Ott said. “We obviously didn’t want to stretch him tonight, so see how it responds after he sleeps, gets up back in Phoenix.” He added that Kennard “seemed to be in good spirits” when they spoke.

Asked whether Kennard would rest Friday regardless, Ott said only, “We’ll see tomorrow.” The Suns close the preseason at home against the Utah Jazz on Friday, then open the regular season at Portland on Oct. 21. Ott said earlier in the day that he hoped to have Booker and the other rested regulars back for that final exhibition.