Is there enough talk about the Suns? Are they truly seen and treated as ring contenders? That’s a good question. Obviously, everyone knows the position they occupy, the level they are showing and the dominance they have over their rivals, in the Western Conference in particular and throughout the NBA in general. And yet, it seems that it is difficult for them to see them with the ring on their finger, as if the curse of a franchise that has played three Finals without luck in its entire history also accompanied the current squad. As if what happened last year against the Bucks was nothing more than the maximum representation of what the Suns represent as an entity. A small market, a team with little history, not too many legends (Charles Barkley, Steve Nash…) and a slight bad luck that has always gone hand in hand with a small lack of success at key moments.
But despite all this, the Suns are the best team this season: They have 10 consecutive wins, 13 in the last 14 games and 40 throughout the course, being the only team that has reached that figure and has not yet added double digits in the losing box. They are also the third-best offense in the NBA, the seventh-best defense and excel in every facet of the game: first in field goal percentage, fifth in 3-point percentage, seventh in free throw percentage, fifth in rebounding, fifth in assists, sixth in steals and second in net rating behind the Warriors. And all this, after falling in the Finals that they dominated 2-0, which demonstrates the great resilience and power of conviction of a virtually seamless squad, excellent on both sides of the court and masterfully trained by Monty Williams.
In addition, the Suns have up to nine players above double figures and a Chris Paul who, at 36, seems to be 26: 14.7 points, 4.5 rebounds and 10.2 assists (NBA leader) on average. Add to that the incredible work of Ddvin Booker (25.1+5.5+4.5 and 37.8% in triples), the double-double of DeAndre Ayton (18.6+10.6), the defense of Mikal Bridges, the good work of Cameron Johnson, Frank Kaminsky and Cameron Payne, the always correct performance of JaValee McGee (10+7 in 16 minutes on average) and the arrival of a Bisack Biyombo who has gone from hiding to shine under the spotlight by the work and grace of a Chris Paul who always brings out the best version of the players around him. Paul and Booker will go to the All Star and will be in the Best Quintets, Monty Williams will compete for the Best Coach award (alongside JB Bickerstaff and Taylor Jenkins) and the team plays an attractive and very effective game.
So what is the problem? The memories of past defeats do not help, as well as the four consecutive losses in the past Finals or the slump they had in them. The discreet behavior of the template and its distance from some spotlights always focused on big cities (Nets, Lakers…) are other reasons. And the lack of reliability has always accompanied a Chris Paul who arrived in the NBA in 2005, did not play his first conference finals until 2018 and did not reach the last round of the playoffs until last year. It always happens to Chris Paul something: exhaustion accumulated at the end of the season, injuries, bad luck… Last year I was good in the Finals (21.8+8.2 on average) but lost the individual duel against Giannis Antetokounmpo and his legendary performance. And the arrivals of McGee and Biyombo can alleviate the inner strength that the Greek showed against Ayton and that few teams in the West can exercise. In other circumstances, maybe Anthony Davis’s Lakers. But of course, in other circumstances.
At the moment and despite everything, the Suns continue to do their thing and are focused on a season in which they are far above any rival. Another victory against some Spurs (with 24 points from Dpu McDermott and 22 from Lonnie Walker IV) who fight it all after some extraordinary final minutes and a great game from Bridges (26 points and 8 rebounds), another double-double from Biyombo (10+11), 28 points from Booker and 20, with 19 assists, from Chris Paul. Almost 50% in field goals, just 8 losses and a last quarter in which they got a 36-19 run to overcome a game that had been complicated for them and that had up to 14 changes in the lead on the scoreboard and 9 draws . A new show of strength for a team that faces the final stretch of the season with the possibility of managing rest time for its stars (Ayton is injured) and regulating itself to emerge in the final part, a historical pending issue. There we will see if the doubts with the Suns are unfounded or if there are really reasons to distrust. For now, those reasons are few. The Suns are the top favorites for the ring. And that, of course, is objective.
