Suns rally past Spurs in rainy Downtown Phoenix as Wemby faces Phoenix again, 102-98

The Phoenix Suns opened their preseason with a 102-98 win over the San Antonio Spurs, a result that arrived with a clear message for both teams early in October. The game was played on a rainy night in Downtown Phoenix, but the tone on the floor was about execution, rotations, and how quickly each side could settle into rhythm. For Phoenix, the win marked their first preseason victory, and it came in a matchup that carried extra intrigue because it featured Spurs star Victor Wembanyama.

Preseason games often reveal as much about process as they do about final scores, and this one fit that pattern. A four-point margin suggests that the outcome was not decided in a single stretch and that both teams managed momentum swings rather than trading one-sided runs. In that sense, Phoenix’s ability to stay composed late, even against an opponent built around Wembanyama’s unique impact, becomes a practical building block heading into the rest of the exhibition slate.

San Antonio, meanwhile, used the matchup as an early test of how their half-court identity plays at speed against a Suns team that tends to emphasize structure and pace control. Wembanyama’s presence adds both gravity and defensive challenges for opponents, which usually forces adjustments in personnel, coverage, and shot quality. While preseason scoring can be volatile, games like this also highlight whether a team can limit high-leverage possessions even when players are rotating in and out and role definitions are still fluid.

For Phoenix, the win matters beyond the record because the preseason is where coaches evaluate who can handle defensive assignments, who can make the right reads when the pace changes, and who can execute in second and third units without the game dissolving into mismatches. A close preseason win can be especially useful if it reflects consistent effort across lineups rather than a brief hot spell. The Suns, on this night, appear to have delivered one of their steadier performances of the exhibition period, according to the game recap.

The Spurs also benefited from the matchup in a different way. Facing a high-level opponent in a hostile, atypical atmosphere, with weather adding a layer of unpredictability to the environment, can help teams identify what holds up when the flow of the game is less comfortable. Preseason is the time to learn those lessons early, because regular-season results demand the same fundamentals but with fewer substitutions and sharper opponents.

What to watch next is whether the Suns can carry the defensive and lineup stability suggested by this win into their subsequent preseason games, and whether the Spurs can tighten the elements around Wembanyama’s matchups and the transition game that often determines close scores in exhibitions. For both clubs, this 102-98 outcome is a starting reference point, not a conclusion, but it provides a visible benchmark as they refine roles and build continuity for the regular season.