It took just one game with Kevin Durant back for Phoenix Suns to return to title form

Kevin Durant is back and the Phoenix Suns are playing like a dangerous championship contender once again.

After getting a red-hot start to the season, the Phoenix Suns faltered mightily when Kevin Durant missed a couple of weeks due to an injury. However, it took just one game with KD back in the lineup for the Suns to once again reemerge as a legit championship contender in the Western Conference. After a couple of disappointing ends to their seasons, the Suns appear to have the look of a team that is finally playing up to their potential.

While there aren't many conclusions that can be reached through the first 20ish games of the regular season, the Suns have arrived at one - when they're healthy, they have the potential to compete with any team in the NBA. As we get deeper into the season, that's only going to make this team a much more dangerous contender in the Western Conference. As KD dropped 23 points and six rebounds in his return game for the Suns, the team continued to prove their worth as a fully healthy team as they zoomed past the upstart Los Angeles Lakers 127-100.

The Phoenix Suns may be in perfect position to steal the West

When healthy, the Sumns are one of the very few teams in the league that have the firepower to keep pace with the likes of the Oklahoma City Thunder (when they're healthy), Golden State Warriors, Cleveland Cavaliers, and even the Boston Celtics. That's exactly what we've seen so far this season when KD, specifically, has been healthy for Phoenix. Sure, the Suns benefit from having all hands on deck, but this team loses something more when KD is out.

If the Suns are going to emerge as a team that could potentially "steal" the West, entering the playoffs with a full bill of health seems like a strong first step. With a healthy KD this season, the Suns are 9-1 with their only loss coming at the hands of the Lakers. Without KD in the lineup, the Suns are 1-6. It's pretty clear how much of a difference he makes for the team when he's in the lineup.

Looking at the landscape in the Western Conference, with the Thunder and Warriors ailing, and not much certainty beyond those two teams, there's an opportunity for a team like the Suns to arise out of nowhere. With all the talent on their roster, I'm not sure there were many expecting the Suns to be this good this season. With how inconsistent they've been in the KD era, what the Suns have been able to do this season is surprising.

However, it does seem as if the Suns are a real legitimate threat when they are healthy. It's time for the rest of the league to realize that if they already haven't. Now that KD is back, that's become crystal clear for Phoenix.