Without Kelly Oubre Jr., the Phoenix Suns playoff chances are nonexistent
Even at full strength, it was going to be a tall task for the Phoenix Suns to make the playoffs. They’d have to come within four games of the eighth seed, which means they’d have to essentially make up two full games on the Memphis Grizzlies in eight games. While not impossible, it was going to difficult.
Even more so considering the team is expected to be without Kelly Oubre Jr. for the remainder of the 2019-20 season. According to Shams Charania, Oubre plans to focus on his rehab rather than to play when the season is expected to restart next month.
Oubre tore his meniscus in his right knee in February. Interestingly, it was reported that Oubre was healed from the injury and was expected to return when the Suns pick up play next month. Although, it appears his stance has now changed.
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Perhaps Oubre and the team decided, as he prepares to enter the final year of his contract next season, that playing potentially just eight games wasn’t worth the risk.
Before his injury, Oubre was averaging a career-high 19 points and six rebounds per game on 45 percent shooting from the field and 35 percent shooting from 3-point range. Oubre is the team’s third-leading scorer and one of the biggest 3-point threats on the roster. Losing him will certainly hurt the offense and energy of the team.
The Suns will certainly miss his presence on the floor and his depth overall. For a team that was already sitting against long odds, losing Oubre could be viewed as a knockout punch to the team’s chances at the playoffs.
In the seven games before the hiatus, in which Phoenix was without Kelly Oubre Jr., the Suns were just 2-5. Even though it was a small sample size at life without Oubre, it was a preview of what this team could look like.
There’s no question that Oubre was a key component to the Suns’ this season. Even though Phoenix was just about out of the playoff picture at the time the hiatus was implemented, you can’t help but think what this team could look like 100 percent at full strength for an 82-game stretch. If you remember, this team had to overcome the loss of Deandre Ayton (who was suspended to start the year).
Perhaps the Suns would’ve had a real shot at making up two games when the NBA restarted at full strength, but now that Kelly Oubre Jr. is expected to not return it will get a lot tougher for a team like Phoenix.