Phoenix Suns to finish with the best record in the NBA
The Phoenix Suns have the best shot at the NBA title this season. The team is on course to finish with the best record in the NBA and currently sits at 62-14.
The first seed in the western conference is comprised of a healthy dose of young talent led by the veteran presence of others.
Chris Paul is on his way to his 14th playoff appearance and looks to make his second consecutive run to the finals with Devin Booker and company.
This roster is similar compared to the previous finals team for the Suns.
Paul, despite going down with a wrist injury after the all-star break, has managed the backcourt with Booker, and wing player Mikal Bridges has been essential with his 15-points-a-game season. What will prove to be an advantage to the Suns though is the usage of the 23-year-old center Deandre Ayton who is averaging a quiet but extremely productive double-double in the stat sheet.
Looking at the plays and the possibilities of who will come out of the plan-in, the Suns will be faced with either the Lakers who are hoping to have Lebron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook on the floor, provided they can get past the New Orleans Pelicans in the ninth seed.
The possibilities also hold facing Karl Anthony Towns and the Timberwolves or the Paul George led Clippers who just recently led a 25-point comeback against the Utah Jazz. Either of these teams can be the first opponent for the Suns but success of the team will be based on the usage of their young 6’11” center, and the length provided also by JaVale McGee in the post.
The Suns have more than enough size to dominate the inside of all the teams in contention to be their first opponent and even beyond as the cards hold a meeting between Steph Curry or Nikola Jokic. That is when the real test will begin for Phoenix.
It would be difficult imagining the Suns not completely dominating a play-in tournament team anyway, so looking forward would seem the step to take when viewing these teams in the post season in the west.
Phoenix has no true competition until the play-in tourney teams make their quick exits. In reality, no one’s defense can slow down the Suns’ back court and really, no one has. Booker is averaging over 25 points for the season and Paul is averaging double-double in the points and assist column for the sixth time in his career. It would be impossible to fathom the disappointment that would be felt if this team did not win a championship or at least get to the finals. With that being said, the biggest test in the west for the Suns, if they can both get to the conference finals, will be the Utah Jazz.
On paper, this matchup is side by side, shockingly similar. Point guard Mike Conley and Shooting Guard Donovan Mitchell are an explosive, quick duo in the back court and you add that to scoring ability of Jordan Clarkson and shooting of Boban Bogdanovic give the Jazz the best matchup against the Suns this season on paper. The Jazz also have a good big man themselves in three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert who is having himself a four-time campaign. The road through the west is not an easy one but depending on who beats who in the brackets and how efficient the Suns plan to be during the postseason, this could be an unstoppable team all the way to the finals.
