The Phoenix Suns have been picking up steam as of late and sit at 33-22 good for fifth in the Western Conference ahead of their return to action from the All-Star break tomorrow night against the Dallas Mavericks.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!“It’s go time,” Suns’ star guard Devin Booker said after the All-Star Game Sunday. “It’s time to turn it up a little bit and just compete at the highest level … remain and stay healthy. Just want to peak at the right time. You want to play the right basketball and just keep getting better and keep getting better before the playoffs.”
Go time. pic.twitter.com/ZgpCkl2we3
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) February 21, 2024
Phoenix has really bounced all around from the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference to the No. 9-10 spot the majority of the season. Since their Christmas Day loss to Dallas, which coach Frank Vogel said was when the team started figuring it out, the Suns have gone 19-7 to position themselves in this five seed.
The top four teams in the West (Minnesota Timberwolves, Oklahoma City Thunder, Los Angeles Clippers and Denver Nuggets) have remained pretty much consistent throughout the season, but the Suns could make a late push to get themselves there with how they have been playing as of late.
If the season were to end today, Phoenix would play the defending-champion Nuggets in the first round. The Suns are a full three games back from Denver.
Strength of schedule
Even though the Suns have been clicking, they will face a tough test the rest of the way. According to Tankathon, the Suns have by far the toughest remaining schedule in the NBA for their last 27 games. The Suns are 15-15 against teams .500 or better so far and have 19 more games remaining against teams currently at this mark.
All of the teams ahead of the Suns have much easier strength of schedules, as Minnesota ranks No. 20 in strength of schedule, the Thunder are 24th, the Clippers are seventh and the Nuggets are 23rd.
Below are the Suns’ last 10 games of the season with their opponents’ current record and standing. Phoenix will be playing pretty much all top playoff teams before the actual playoffs start.
- March 27 @ Denver Nuggets (36-19, 4th in Western Conference)
- March 29 @ Oklahoma City Thunder (37-17, 2nd in Western Conference)
- April 1 @ New Orleans Pelicans (33-22, 6th in Western Conference)
- April 3 vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (36-17, 2nd in Eastern Conference)
- April 5 vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (39-16, 1st in Western Conference)
- April 7 vs. New Orleans Pelicans (33-22, 6th in Western Conference)
- April 9 vs. Los Angeles Clippers (36-17, 3rd in Western Conference)
- April 10 @ Los Angeles Clippers (36-17, 3rd in Western Conference)
- April 12 @ Sacramento Kings (31-23, 8th in Western Conference)
- April 14 @ Minnesota Timberwolves (39-16, 1st in Western Conference)
Regardless, the Suns are treating every game the same.
“We don’t necessarily talk about the strength of schedule,” Suns’ superstar Kevin Durant said after the All-Star Game. “We respect every team regardless and try to focus on us as much as possible each night. It’s just about building our habits getting better at what we already established and pushing forward. I think playing against some of the teams that’s gonna be there at the end of the season is gonna be a great test before we head to the playoffs.”
Different mindset for second half of season
After the additions of Royce O’Neale, Thaddeus Young and David Roddy, the Suns share a mindset echoed by general manager James Jones for this second half of the season.
“Most of the guys that are here and the guys coming in see this as an opportunity to re-establish themselves,” Jones said one day after the trade deadline on Feb. 9. “We know there are two portions of the season, one is trying to figure out who you are and then the other is doubling down on what you are. We’re in that second stage with a new team, which is: Who are we (for the rest of the regular season)? What we do know is that when we’re healthy … (and) move the ball, make the right plays, protect the ball, don’t turn it over, get shots on goal, get shots at the rim, we’re pretty dynamic.”
The Suns are already seeing the immediate impact of having O’Neale, as the Suns have posted a crazy 35.4 net rating with him on the floor (118.9 offensive and 83.6 defensive). For reference, the next best player in terms of net rating is Jusuf Nurkić at 9.8 (for the season). The Suns as a team have a 3.3 net rating for the season and 5.2 in the three games O’Neale has played.
Everyone knows what the Suns’ ultimate goal is. Booker is the only one left from the Suns’ 2021 NBA Finals run, so he knows he wants more.
“I’m not trying to get there, I done did that already,” Booker said of the NBA Finals. “I’m trying to finish it. We just have to keep getting better.”
Devin Booker and Kevin Durant share thoughts on changing All-Star Game
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Brendan Mau is a senior writer covering the Phoenix Suns and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @Brendan_Mau
