Following a rough start to the season, the Suns (25-18) are looking like the title contenders many imagined them to be before the season began.
Phoenix is on a six-game winning run and is 11-3 in its last 14 games after starting the season 14-15.
Bradley Beal’s health has contributed significantly to the team’s resurgence. Due to back ailments, Beal only appeared in six of the Suns’ first 30 games. Since returning on December 29, Beal has appeared in 13 consecutive games for Phoenix.
The combination of a now healthy Beal (18 PPG, four APG) with his fellow All-Stars Kevin Durant (29.6 PPG, 5.6 APG) and Devin Booker (26.7 PPG, 7.6 APG), makes Phoenix a dangerous team.
In the 240 minutes — a relatively small sample size — that the trio has spent on the court together, they are outscoring opponents by 15.2 points per 100 possessions. For comparison, the league-leading Celtics outscore opponents by 9.7 points per 100 possessions.
During the six-game winning streak, the three All-Stars have all had a chance to showcase their scoring talents.
Beal scored 37 points on 8-for-10 three-point shooting in a 127-109 win over the Lakers and Booker scored 52 points on 18-for-30 shooting against the Pelicans in a 123-109 victory.
It was Durant’s turn to shine the past two games as he scored 40 points on 18-for-25 shooting in a 117-110 win against the Pacers and 43 points against the Bulls. His strong outing against Chicago included the game-winning basket.
Following the game, Durant told Arizona Sports that the squad is “trending in the right direction.”
While the three All-Stars receive the most of the limelight, Phoenix has also had great performances from Jusuf Nurkic and Grayson Allen.
Nurkic averages 11.9 points and 10.6 rebounds per game, ranking sixth in the NBA. Allen averages 13.7 points per game and leads the NBA in three-point shooting (49.1). If Allen finishes the season with his current shooting percentage, he will join the legendary 50-40-90 club.
Regardless of the Suns’ recent performance, one significant problem remains: the team’s depth and bench.
Phoenix is 28th in the NBA in bench scoring, with an average of 27.4 points. Aside from Eric Gordon (12.5 PPG), the bench has been inconsistent.
The Suns will struggle to address this problem since the new CBA makes it tough for teams like Phoenix to strengthen their squad through the buyout market.
This will prevent the Suns from signing a player like the recently traded Kyle Lowry, who Adrian Wojnarowski speculated may be on the buyout market.
If the Suns want to enhance their bench, they will need to grow inside.
Despite their depth difficulties, Phoenix will be a club no one wants to face in the playoffs, as Durant, Booker, and Beal’s scoring ability is enough to scare any team in a seven-game series.
