Can Suns win out to capture No. 1 seed?
Don’t know what’s more impressive. Beating two of the NBA’s top four teams after a five-game road trip out East or going 5-2 in its last seven games with wins over Milwaukee, Philadelphia, New York, the Los Angeles Clippers and Utah.
Either way, the end result put Phoenix atop the league after Friday’s games.
“I don’t think we’re slowing down,” Suns All-Star guard Devin Booker said. “We can only get better with more experience.”
Suns coach Monty Williams appreciates the 45-18 record, but is far from satisfied.
“You want to maintain what we’re doing and increase it,” he said after Friday’s win to complete a 3-0 series sweep of the Jazz. “Obviously, it’s great for the city of Phoenix, great for our fans. It’s great for the players, but I can’t dwell on that. I love the mindset of how can we get better.”
Climbing the mountain is tough. Staying on top of it is even tougher.
With nine games left, Phoenix is in position to finish this shortened 72game regular season with the league’s best record, but may have to win out to achieve that.
That won’t be easy, but they should at worse finish 6-3.
Seven of Phoenix’s final nine games are on the road. Not ideal, but the Suns have the league’s top road record at 20-9.
They’re in a battle for the West’s top seed with the Jazz and Clippers, who own the tiebreaker over them. Tankathon rated the Suns with the tougher remaining schedule of the three teams going into Saturday’s games.
● Suns (15th): at OKC, at CLE, at ATL, vs. NYK, at LAL, at GSW, vs POR, at SA (2).
● Clippers (24th): vs. DEN, vs TOR, vs. LAL, vs. NYK, at TOR, at CHA, at HOU, at OKC.
● Jazz (25th): vs. TOR, vs. SA (2), vs. DEN, vs. HOU, at GSW, vs POR, at OKC, at SAC.
With the Clippers and Jazz seemingly having the easier finish, based on opponents’ record, Phoenix may need to win out to maintain the top seed and avoid falling to fourth.
Denver is just three games behind the Suns — and has the tiebreaker over them.
Fourth in the West, the Nuggets have the seventh’s toughest remaining schedule: at LAC, at LAL, vs. NYK, at UTA, vs. BKN, at CHA, at MINN, at DET, at POR.
Tall order for Denver, but a flat finish for Phoenix could lead to a first-round matchup against the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers, who have LeBron James (ankle) and Anthony Davis (calf ) back from injury.
The Suns would have home-court advantage, but facing the Lakers isn’t the favorable way to return to the playoffs after an 11-year drought.
Beyond the schedule, Phoenix, with a top-six spot locked up to avoid the playin tournament, has the option of resting players going into the playoffs.
Other teams have done it all season. The Suns haven’t, and aren’t going to broadcast their potential plans in that department, either.
“We’ll have those discussions. I won’t be talking about it with anybody outside of the building,” Williams said before Friday’s game. “Just not something we’re going to make public, but our players have put in the work to play this time of the year, but we’re going to be smart, but it’s something we’ll keep as an internal conversation.”
Most anticipated games
May 9 at L.A. Lakers: No brainer. Phoenix is 2-0 versus Lakers, but Davis didn’t play in either game while James missed the second one.
Opportunity for Phoenix to once again show it’s worthy of being NBA elite.
May 11 at Golden State: Any game against Stephen Curry is must-see TV.
Add Kelly Oubre Jr. facing his former team makes it even more intriguing.
Currently a 10th seed with the final play-in spot, the Warriors can’t afford many more losses if they want to chance to make the playoffs.