Only 10 games remain in the NBA regular season, but the Phoenix Suns are making one final push for the play-in seeds. For some time, it was tough to envision the Suns even making the top 10 despite their star talent. But a recent upturn in form has seen them close the gap on the teams above them. After a win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night, their fourth in a row, they now occupy the final play-in position, tied with the 11th-place Dallas Mavericks. They are also half a game back from the nine-seed Sacramento Kings.
Their current win streak is the second-longest in the Western Conference. Only the top-seed Oklahoma City Thunder have won more consecutive games with six. They built this momentum with impressive wins, including an 11-point victory over the East’s best, Cleveland Cavaliers. The schedule remains tough, with matchups with the Boston Celtics, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Houston Rockets still to come this week, but they have made the perfect start.
The Suns Are in a 3-Way Battle for the Final Two Play-In Spots
Mavericks and Kings Are Key Teams to Watch
While the Mavericks are tied with the Suns in record, the Kings must start to look over the shoulders in the play-in. Though Phoenix has the toughest remaining schedule, Sacramento also has some difficult fixtures left. They have the Thunder next, as well as games with the Cavaliers, LA Clippers, and Denver Nuggets. A crucial matchup could take place on the final day of the season as the Suns and Kings face off in Sacramento. With just half a game between them currently, that could be the decider in which team has home-court advantage in the 9/10 play-in game, or it could even determine who makes the play-in tournament.
The Mavericks have been boosted by the return of Anthony Davis, who helped them to victory against the Brooklyn Nets in their latest game. They have struggled without him, besides the season-long absence of Kyrie Irving. Dallas has lost seven of the last 10 games, which allowed the Suns to claw their way back into postseason contention. It should set up an intriguing final three weeks as each team battles to extend their season.
Phoenix Can Still Make Noise in the Postseason
Many had declared the Suns’ season dead, with the team stuck in a rut and no signs of improving, particularly on the defensive end. There were plenty of off-court distractions, with trade rumors of Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal constantly surrounding them. These conversations continued past the trade deadline and threatened the team morale and chemistry, leading to what looked like a disastrous limp toward the end of the season.
But as they enter crunch time, the Suns have finally picked it up–better late than never. Despite Beal and Grayson Allen spending time out injured, they have found a rhythm and spark. Two-way guard Collin Gillespie has assumed a role in the starting five, while rookies Ryan Dunn and Oso Ighodaro have earned a significant increase in minutes, moves which have drastically improved the side’s outlook.
Any team with Devin Booker and Durant is a force to be reckoned with, but one with a great defense would be one an opposition would want to avoid. On the season, the Suns rank near the bottom in the NBA for most defensive metrics, but in the last six games, they are 12th in defensive rating, a stretch that coincides with Dunn’s return to the rotation. Although a small sample size, it appears Mike Budenholzer has found a winning formula that could transform to postseason success.
It gives him a tough decision once Beal returns, with Booker and Durant 13-3 in games without him this season. If they make it through the play-in tournament as the eighth seed, the tough task of facing Oklahoma City in the first round will still await them. But a matchup, which was once seen as a foregone conclusion in the Thunder’s favor, may not turn out to be so bleak.
Photo credit: © Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
The post The Suns Are in a 3-Way Battle for the Final Two Play-In Spots appeared first on Last Word On Basketball.