NBA: How each non-LA playoff team can win the Western Conference

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NBA Phoenix Suns Chris Paul and Devin Booker (Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports) /

How the Phoenix Suns can win the West

The halfcourt defense must hold up

The Suns’ halfcourt defense is a force in a league with a defensive rating of 108.6 (5th in the league). Suns have a good blend of pesky defenders (Paul, Crowder), length (Johnson, Bridges), and athletic big man patrolling the rim. However, except for Chris Paul and Jae Crowder, no one on this team has had extensive playoff runs, which will be tested against all the elite offenses in the League – Utah, the Clippers, Dallas and Portland.

Phoenix’s defense has softened over the past month against the West – allowing a 115.1 rating in eight games. This includes a matchup against the Clippers (a potential second-round matchup) where it seemed like the perimeter length of Paul George and Kawhi Leonard wore down the Suns. Paul certainly won’t allow slippage from his team come playoff time if he can help it, but Phoenix as an entire unit will need to re-fortify their defense against these offensive juggernauts.

Chris Paul and Devin Booker must dominate the mid-range

In a day and age where teams either or attacking the rim or taking 40-plus 3’s, Phoenix has two of the best mid-range scorers in the league. Paul has made a long career doing damage in the mid-range through the pick-and-roll, whereas Booker can do a lot off the dribble and running off screens. Booker shoots 64 percent of his shots in the mid-range and hits at 54 percent. Paul is taking 70 percent of his shots in the mid-range and hitting 56 percent. For such an “inefficient shot,” these two guys sure do stroke it well.

In the playoffs, where pace usually slows and defenses can bogs down offensive sets, having good mid-range bucket-getters is a luxury to have. But the key will be how those two can score in the mid-range against stout on-ball defenders.

Booker only makes 47 percent of his mid-range shots with close defenders on him and Paul has a history of shrinking in the playoffs. If those two can shake free from defenders and mirror their regular season numbers in the playoffs, we might be talking about the Suns winning a championship in June.