The Phoenix Suns have mastered the art of boring excellence, and it could lead them to an NBA Championship.
The Phoenix Suns have operated silently under the radar but let’s make no mistake, this team is head and shoulders ahead of every other team in the league when it comes to chasing the pole position to win the 2022 NBA Championship.
After falling two games short in the NBA Finals last season to the Milwaukee Bucks, there was a growing narrative during the offseason that it was nearly impossible for this team to get back to where they had left off. Or, at the very least, everything had to fall perfectly for this team.
And through the first week of the regular season, it appeared as if that narrative was beginning to play out.
Just before the start of the season, it was reported that the Suns would not offer the max extension that Deandre Ayton was reportedly seeking. Then, through the first week of the season, the Suns were 1-3.
It was beginning to look as if the Suns were the flash in the pan that many thought they were.
To answer those questions/concerns, the Suns would go on to win their next 18 games. Since that 1-3 start, the Suns are 46-7 overall. They are the only team in the NBA with a top 5 offensive rating and defensive rating, and have the league’s best net rating.
Phoenix is one of the most well-rounded teams in the league, with eight players averaging double-digits scoring. Devin Booker may not be getting any love for NBA MVP, but he’s had another highly productive year and is shooting the second-best percentage from 3-point range in his career.
At age 36, Chris Paul hasn’t shown that much age, and even though he’s not posting big numbers he’s still the leader and lead-guard that helped lead this team to the NBA Finals last season.
The Suns have predictably built a comfortable lead in the Western Conference standings, currently holding a 5.5 game lead over the second-seeded Golden State Warriors.
As the NBA media at-large continues to focus on what’s transpiring in the Eastern Conference, most specifically around the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers, the Suns are doing something in the West that requires some attention.
The fact that they haven’t gotten it thus far tells us just how excellent the Suns have been this season. Boring excellence is what the Suns have fallen into. But, don’t worry, the Suns will get their attention when it matters most – in the NBA playoffs.
The Suns should be heavy favorites to not only win the West but win the NBA Championship as a whole this season. And it’s about time the rest of the league starts paying attention.