The Phoenix Suns have found their footing after a rough start, and Sunday brings one of their toughest tests yet. The red-hot Los Angeles Lakers are coming to town, and one Suns guard already knows how he wants that night to go.
He isn’t the biggest name on the roster. But he knows the Lakers’ star better than most, having shared a locker room with him not long ago.
Jordan Goodwin, who played alongside Luka Doncic in Los Angeles, was asked how he plans to guard his former teammate. The Arizona Republic’s Duane Rankin shared his answer on X.
“Just got to go out there and compete. Luka’s a great player, can put the ball in the hole. Can manipulate the game with fouls and his savvy play, but I’m just going to be myself. Attack him how I attack everybody else. Watch my film. I’m just going to check the ball up,” Goodwin said.
Goodwin was also asked about the trash talk. Doncic loves to chirp at defenders, and Goodwin expects plenty of it. But he made it clear there is no bad blood.
“Luka and I, we’re real cool. We’re real close. We were close out in L.A. We always talk. It’s going to be talking crazy, but it’s going to be respectful basketball. It’s going to be good bump. We’ll see. If he starts talking, he starts talking, but we’ll see how the game goes,” Goodwin said.
From Waived by the Lakers to a Key Piece in Phoenix
There’s a reason this one means a little more to Goodwin. The Lakers waived him in the summer of 2025, and the Suns claimed him off waivers. It turned out to be a steal for Phoenix.
Last season, he brought defense and timely shooting off the bench. He averaged 8.7 points and 4.9 rebounds in 70 games while hitting 37.1 percent from three.
His best night came in the Play-In Tournament, when he put up 19 points, nine rebounds, and six steals against the Golden State Warriors while hounding Stephen Curry. This summer, Phoenix gave him a three-year, $19 million deal.
Luka Doncic Is Off to a Scary Start
Goodwin will need all of that defense on Sunday. The good news for Phoenix is that he’s back. He missed four games with a calf injury before returning Tuesday, when he hit six of seven threes in a win over the Clippers.
Doncic leads the NBA in scoring at 38.6 points per game, along with 7.5 rebounds and 7.6 assists. The Lakers are 11-2 and riding a seven-game win streak.
Doncic turned his ankle late in Wednesday’s win over the Bucks, but coach JJ Redick said Friday the star is fine and expected to play.
The Suns, meanwhile, sit at 5-6 and have won four of their last five after a 1-5 start.
Tip-off is set for 4 p.m. ET at Mortgage Matchup Center.
Goodwin says he will check the ball up and play his game. On Sunday, Phoenix finds out who gets the last word.
Suns’ Jordan Goodwin Isn’t Backing Down From Luka Doncic in Lakers Showdown