Phoenix: The 2023–24 NBA regular season is nearing its conclusion, and the Phoenix Suns are very certain to make the postseason once more.
Thanks to Phoenix’s current star power, competing is the lowest of expectations because all bets have been placed on the middle of the table in an attempt to genuinely develop a “championship or bust” mentality in Phoenix for the foreseeable future.
With a 33-24 record as of the publication date, the Suns are ranked eighth in the West. Despite having dropped their last two games after the All-Star break, they are among the three teams that are only one game out of the No. 5 slot.
With 25 games left, here’s where Bleacher Report has Phoenix landing in the playoff picture:
Suns (No. 5 seed) vs Timberwolves (No. 4 seed)
“The rest of the NBA better hope the Suns’ Big 3 doesn’t get any prolonged stretches together before the playoffs, or this is going to be a nightmare of a team to face in a seven-game series,” said Greg Swartz.
“For now, early results are more than encouraging.”In 908 total possessions with Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal all on the court at the same time, Phoenix has a net rating of plus-12.0. A fantastic addition who will see a lot of playing time in the last two months is Royce O’Neale.
“The Suns will have to play their first round playoff game away from home because of the NBA’s most difficult schedule, which will keep them from finishing higher than fifth in the standings. Hope is sparked by a 15-11 record away from the desert.”
According to B/R, Minnesota will lose their ranking as the best team in the West.
“The Wolves are still (mostly) hanging on to the No. 1 seed, but don’t be surprised to see them fall slightly before the playoffs begin,” stated Swartz.
“I have nothing against Minnesota, but the best players in the West are extremely talented. Since the year switched to 2024, the Wolves (15-9) had worse records than the Los Angeles Clippers (17-5), Phoenix Suns (16-7), and Oklahoma City Thunder (15-8).”However, Minnesota should not fall too far thanks to their excellent defense and manageable schedule.
“A first-round matchup against the high-powered Suns isn’t ideal, but the Wolves would have a huge advantage in the paint against a wing-heavy Phoenix team.”
There was only one meeting between the two teams early in the regular season, which the Suns won 133-115. They are scheduled to face off in the last regular-season game.
