PHOENIX – The Phoenix Suns are scratching and crawling for that last Play-In spot. The coveted 10th seed was in their grasp for a single game before losing back-to-back games and falling out of the Play-In. Phoenix now sits a game behind the Sacramento Kings and a game and a half from the 9th-seed Dallas Mavericks. The Suns remaining schedule is the hardest in the league, but there are avenues for the team to survive.
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Mar 12, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) sits on the scorers table as head coach Mike Budenholzer looks on during the second quarter against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Suns remaining Strength of Schedule: .616 (1st in NBA)
The franchise’s remaining eight games include a stretch of six straight playoff teams, starting tonight.
- vs. Houston (2nd seed)
- @ Milwaukee (6th seed)
- @ Boston (2nd seed)
- @ New York (3rd seed)
- vs. Golden State (7th seed)
- vs. Oklahoma City (1st)
Mar 12, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) controls the ball as Houston Rockets forward Dillon Brooks (9) defends during the third quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Against these six teams this season, the Suns are 3-7. If the team endures a similar stretch, it could wave the Play-In spot behind. Now, the final two games of the regular season give Phoenix a shot: at home against San Antonio and at Sacramento for the finale.
The Spurs will be without Victor Wembanyama and likely tank the end of the season, while the Kings are the perfect final opponent for the Suns.Â
Sacramento has the 14th hardest remaining strength of schedule at .511 but is still similar to Phoenix because of a grueling stretch of games. The Kings will face five playoff teams in the final eight games, with four of them in a row. In the past 12 games, Sacramento is 3-9 and is freefalling out of the Play-In.
Mar 14, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) dribbles the ball past Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray (13) during the first half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
The Suns own the tiebreaker against the Kings, so if Phoenix can stay afloat during that tough six-game stretch, it’ll have a shot for the final Play-In spot in the regular season finale in Sacramento.
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Reporter Tanner Tortorella covers general assignment for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @TannerTSports
