The NBA regular season schedule is out and the Suns have a lot of attention on them come this season with newcomer Bradley Beal as well as a full season with Kevin Durant paired with Devin Booker.
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📅 See the full 2023-24 schedule, presented by @Ticketmaster: https://t.co/FD6twr9HOm pic.twitter.com/iWwmd8iG4V
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) August 17, 2023
Add in a new head coach and bench to the mix and all eyes are going to be looked at if whether or not the Suns can go ahead and win it all this season.
After looking at the games the Suns will be playing and when they will be playing them this season. I went ahead and gave a list of my top 5 games the Suns will be playing this upcoming season and why.
Honorable Mention: Frank Vogel Faces Off Against Old Team
It was a long offseason of head coaching rumors surrounding the Phoenix Suns, but the Suns finally made the decision to go all in on former Lakers head coach Frank Vogel in hopes to help the Suns capture an NBA championship.
Vogel won a championship himself with the Lakers back in 2020 before being fired back in the 2021-22 season for a slow start to the season.
Everyone has a journey, very neat to watch Frank Vogel on his to become an NBA Championship Head Coach with the @Lakers
His college career begin as a player at @juniatacollege in early 90s, 30 mins from where I grew up pic.twitter.com/Btm1gNKjmN
— Billy Clapper Basketball (@BillyClapperBCB) October 12, 2020
The former head coach will get his first crack at his old team will be the second game of the season on October 26th back in Los Angeles. Not to mention it will be the first time we see LeBron James vs Kevin Durant since 2018.
We’ll see come down the road if the two teams will meet in the playoffs again as well to add on to this big-time matchup.
Number 5: Home Reunion For Monty Williams in February
We start off the top 5 list by showing love to the winningest head coach over the past 3 seasons in the NBA. The Suns will face their ex-coach Monty Williams and the Detroit Pistons on February 13th for a reunion game back home in Phoenix.
The Suns face the Pistons twice beforehand with one being in the preseason. However, both of those games will be in Detroit. I marked this game as one of the most important games on the schedule primarily because it’s back home in Phoenix where he had a lot of success over the past 3 seasons.
Monty Williams last three seasons with the Suns…
2021: 51-21 record, lost in NBA Finals
2022: 64-18 record, lost Conf. Semifinals (Won Coach of the Year)
2023: 45-37 record, lost Conf. SemifinalsThe winningest coach in that span 😮 pic.twitter.com/A1Ehxh56wI
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 14, 2023
It will most likely be a good tribute for Williams before the game starts for all he has done for the organization as he helped guide them to an NBA Finals appearance, the best regular season in franchise history, as well as three trips to the playoffs.
It should be an emotional day in the Valley during that time for a coach that is well-beloved in the community.
Number 4: The Twins Are Back in Phoenix, Arizona
Another emotional day for Suns fans everywhere as they will be welcoming back two of the most beloved guys in Suns history back in Phoenix when the Suns host Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, and the Brooklyn Nets to town.
Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson will make their return to Phoenix for the first time since being traded on December 13th.
— CantGuardBook (@CGBBURNER) August 17, 2023
Bridges and Johnson were spark plugs for the Suns during the Williams era over the last three seasons and helped turn the franchise around to new heights during that time.
Bridges grew into an all-around player during his time in Phoenix and was even in consideration for defensive player of the year back in the 2021 season.
In that same year, Johnson took his game to another level and wound up in the sixth man of the Year conversation finishing 3rd in voting for the award.
But even beyond that, Bridges and Johnson were a spark plug to a fan base that desperately needed it back then and their welcome back should be one of the most electric days the Footprint Center will have in a long time.
THREAD : With the leaving of Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson to Brooklyn, I have prepared the best actions of the Twins in a Suns jersey. 💜🧡♾️ pic.twitter.com/4bjAKEQnPY
— 🆑EM (@Devinl3ooker) February 10, 2023
Number 3: Beal Returns to Washington in February
The Suns blew up the offseason when they traded for all-star guard Bradley Beal. This trade would end up pairing Beal with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker to unlock the NBA’s next big three.
With this comes responsibility for the Suns as they will have a lot of high expectations to bring a championship home to Phoenix.
Beal spent his whole career in Washington before getting traded to Phoenix and has had a lot of memories with a place where he ended up growing into a man.
Dear DC by Bradley Beal | The Players’ Tribune will always ride with @RealDealBeal23 and @JohnWall https://t.co/473A9AzEFb
— Uzoma (@uiheagwara) June 26, 2023
He’s had some postseason success with former Wizard John Wall as well as having one of the best statistical seasons in Wizards history averaging over 30 points per game.
Wizards fans will no doubt honor Beal with a heartwarming tribute to commemorate his time in Washington and it will no doubt be an emotional game for Beal who’s going to play in front of his old friends and family.
Number 2: Opening Night Mathcup at Golden State
This one is self-explanatory for many reasons. Kevin Durant returns to Golden State to play the Warriors in the bay area for the first time since he left in 2018.
Chris Paul will play his former team for the first time since he got traded in the Bradley Beal trade. Klay Thompson will face off against Devin Booker yet again as the two players love one another but had the infamous trash-talking game back last year.
Chris Paul Devin Booker
Stephen Curry Bradley Beal
Klay Thompson Josh Okogie
Andrew Wiggins Kevin Durant
Draymond Green DeAndre AytonOpening night will be a movie. pic.twitter.com/YAzAYaI590
— NBA World (@NBAW0RLD24) August 17, 2023
Ahead of the @BrooklynNets and @warriors opening night matchup tomorrow at 7pm/et on TNT… relive the top plays from Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry as teammates with the Warriors! #KiaTipOff20 pic.twitter.com/bIoP9HEoSM
— NBA (@NBA) December 22, 2020
Chris Paul (37 PTS) and Devin Booker (34 PTS) are the 3rd pair of @Suns teammates to each score 34+ PTS in an #NBAPlayoffs game.
The other 2 pairs:
Charles Barkley (43 PTS) and Dan Majerle (34 PTS) on June 1, 1993
Steve Nash (39 PTS) and Shawn Marion (38 PTS) on May 20, 2005 pic.twitter.com/2Ct1nD9URd
— NBA History (@NBAHistory) June 14, 2021
"They have four rings. Repeated over and over. And they do."
Devin Booker spoke on what Klay Thompson said in a heated exchange that led to Thompson's first-ever ejection.pic.twitter.com/trDgP5THrV
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) October 26, 2022
Overall, you got one of the most successful franchises in the last decade in the Warriors facing off against a Suns team that’s trying to become the new-era version of them with the acquisition of Bradley Beal as well as not being able to get over the hump the past three seasons.
I will not be shocked if these two teams face off later in the playoffs for even more meaningful basketball games. But opening night will have to do for now and that will lead us to the number one matchup that has played meaningful games against one another.
Number 1: Christmas Day Showdown at Home vs. The Mavericks
Does it get any better than Luka Doncic vs. Devin Booker on Christmas Day? Both teams can’t stand each other and want to beat the other team badly.
Last season the Suns beat the Mavericks in Dallas during their final meeting with each other and things got chippy at the end of the game between the two star players.
Suns Mavs on Christmas 👀 pic.twitter.com/Wn4zLXwZcW
— LEEZUS (@AndrewLeezus) August 11, 2023
"You guys say you don't want everybody to be friendly-friendly. There you go. We got some smoke… I have no problem with Luka on or off the court, but when we’re competing, we’re competing.”
Devin Booker on his exchange with Luka Doncic 😤
(via @DuaneRankin) pic.twitter.com/WG4Bwapb54
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) March 5, 2023
"It's fine. It's just a competitive game. All good. Next time, just don't wait until there's 3 seconds left to talk."
Luka Doncic’s message to Devin Booker after their exchange 🍿
(via @sixfivelando) pic.twitter.com/JVIpplkdIN
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) March 5, 2023
We also can’t forget back in 2022 when it all began during the NBA playoffs in semi-finals. Luka Doncic and the Mavericks blew the Suns out badly on their home court in game 7 had the Suns gone through a tough offseason with a bunch of criticism.
Luka after going down 3-2 to the Suns: “Everyone acts tough when they’re up.”
Silenced the noise real quick. pic.twitter.com/ylZpJ0hCjT
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) May 16, 2022
This game has the makings of an instant classic on the Suns’ home court and best believe the NBA will have a lot of families tuned in to watch this masterpiece.
The NBA Release Their Full 2023-24 Regular Season Schedule; See Who the Suns Will Play
There are so many good games the Suns will be playing this upcoming season. I believe these 5 will be the best of the best in the 2023-24 season.