The last time we saw the Suns play a postseason game, LeBron James had yet to leave Cleveland for Miami, and players like Paul George, John Wall, Gordon Hayward, and DeMarcus Cousins were still weeks away from being drafted.
Phoenix is set to snap its streak of 10 straight lottery seasons next month, however. The team currently holds an impressive 42-16 record, good for second-best in the entire NBA, just a game-and-a-half behind the top-seeded Jazz.
Still, that long playoff drought is one reason why fans and experts alike have been slow to come around on the idea of the Suns as a legit title contender. It’s rare for an NBA team to go from the lottery one year to the Finals the next.
The Suns also won’t have an easy path once the postseason begins. Luka Doncic and the Mavericks could await them in the first round, with teams like the Jazz, Clippers, and the defending-champion Lakers looming as potential second- or third-round opponents. As such, most observers aren’t expecting a Finals run from Phoenix, as A. Sherrod Blakely writes for Bleacher Report.
“They’re a good story. The league needs a few good stories, you know? But I just don’t see them coming out of the West,” one Western Conference executive told Blakely. “They’ll be a tough out for whoever they face; no doubt. But I just don’t see them getting past either one of the L.A. teams. You can’t come out of the West and not see one of them along the way.”
All-Star point guard Chris Paul and forward Jae Crowder have added some veteran know-how to a core led by rising star Devin Booker, but some people around the league are still concerned about the relative youth of the team, which features second-year wing Cameron Johnson and third-year players Deandre Ayton and Mikal Bridges in key roles. Even Booker has yet to appear in a single postseason contest.
“There’s growing pains that most teams go through before they break through unless you got LeBron James playing for you,” an Eastern Conference scout told Bleacher Report. “It feels like they’re a step or two away from being ready to really, really compete for it all.”
While it’s possible the Suns’ lack of playoff experience could doom them at some point this spring, this isn’t a typical NBA season, with the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to wreak havoc on the usual schedule and teams’ normal rotations. A year ago, the Heat made an unlikely run to the NBA Finals amidst unusual circumstances. With the Lakers and Clippers dealing with some injury issues and the Jazz not exactly a championship-tested foe either, there’s a path for the Suns to turn some heads in the playoffs.
“I hear the ‘they’re too young’ argument all the time,” a scout said to Blakely. “But you look at their roster, they have everything right now you want to win a championship. They have leadership. They have good scorers. They have stretch-big versatility in the frontcourt. They have quality depth, good coaching. And they got a real legit chip on their shoulder because everybody has been saying they would fall all season. … Sleep on them if you want to.”
What do you think? Do you expect the Suns to be knocked out of this year’s postseason in the first or second round, or is this a team you can envision in the Western Conference Finals? Or even in the NBA Finals?
Head to the comment section below to share your thoughts on Phoenix’s playoff outlook!
IMO
It’s possible that Suns will be knocked out in the first round, 45%
If fully healthy, Suns are likely to pass the first round, 55%
Suns ceiling is the Second Round exit 90%
Warriors ceiling is 8th seed
If one of stars from Suns or Jazz is injured, Warriors can defeat any of them
One star injury to offset Klay and Wiseman
Paul has the most postseason experience here. Unfortunately he was gotten past round 2 only once in his entire career while playing for a 65-17 team whom he let down by getting injured and prevented them from winning their 3rd championship.
According to Steven A
Rockets would be knocked out at 5th or 6th game if both Warriors and Rockets teams are fully healthy
It’s just not close
If both teams were healthy the 2018 WCF never would have gotten to a game 6. Luc Mbah a Moute re-dislocated his shoulder against the Lakers the next to last game of the regular season (after initially dislocating it 4 months earlier). He was never the same after the second injury following the best season of his career. Mbah a Moute was as important to Houston’s defense as Igggy was to the Warriors.
Even a healthy Iggy wouldn’t have been enough to offset both CP3 and Mbah a Moute being healthy themselves. Steven A is wrong.
You’re wrong.
Boo Hoo …… sniffle … Boo Hoo.
They have as good a shot as the Jazz.I great regular season team for sure, but 2 of either Booker Paul or Ayton need to step it up in order for them to have a chance.
I like Utah slightly more—they’ve been the better team this year, and I trust Mitchell to win a playoff game more than Booker or Paul (at his age).
But I agree they could be the weakest 1/2 seeds in recent memory, I’d put both LA teams above them – although Murray’s injury will help them
I think they have as good a shot as anyone since stars are dropping like fly balls.
Monty is my coach of the year and its not close
These dudes will run thru a wall for Monty
I’ve got…
James Jones for executive of the year
Thibs coach of the year
Lil D worst commenter of the year
Its bright.
I kind of agree with this article. Suns do have a mix of youth and vet leadership. Most important they are all bought in. I’m not saying they are best team. This the time to prove it. No way they are losing in 1st rd. That’s their statement series. They probably sweep that. After it will get tough. All young teams , players grow up in their own time. It will be tough cause teams in 2nd rd are good teams. Getting out the west is tough for any team this yr imo. But Suns have a real chance here. They are good enough.
How about Celtics showing up for Suns tonight. This yr is wild lol.
UTA is a team made for a R1WC exit… but they will make it to R2WC due to a very weak opposition in R1, then in next round they have no business competing with DEN or the LAL, so they will go out easily…
PHO is a more interesting proposition, as things stand now they will be a 1 & done, as I can’t see anyway they can beat Luka, as simple as… but, there is always a but, if DAL makes to the #6 & POR drops to #7, then yes of course PHO will make it to R2WC, but sadly I think they might really struggle to beat the LAC, although everybody will be cheering for them to do so, right?
It’s really going to depend on whether the Suns can go into the playoffs hot or cold. If they can go in hot, they could make it through the first and second round. People have been counting them out for a while now or overlooking them as a “good story.” They’re a really good basketball team, and they were better last year than they got credit for even before the bubble and CP3.