Why Suns Got Ideal Draw in Playoffs
The Phoenix Suns had the optimal scenario play out for their postseason dreams.
This article was written by Kevin Hicks
The Phoenix Suns completed the grind of an 82-game season.
Phoenix came out better than they came in - untimely injuries, narratives about the locker room, and rumors about the coaching staff's security being on tenuous grounds have been quieted to some extent.
The Suns finish the regular season with a 49-33 mark, good for sixth place in the Western Conference that has been tremendously competitive from the opening tip of game one this season.
The fact of the matter is the Suns finished what was considered one of the most difficult final 10-game stretches in league history with a 7-3 record. The Suns strung together the vast majority of their best performances all season in the last month - even with the humiliating losses sprinkled into the equation.
The Suns also have an ideal first-round foe in the Minnesota Timberwolves - the squad that has ironically been handled by Phoenix twice in as many weeks.
Minnesota has had one of the best seasons in franchise history. The Suns are a rough matchup for Minnesota. Both can be true.
This first round series won't be a seamless stroll to the second round, don't get it confused, but the impeccable timing, footwork, and maximizing of space will serve the trio of Suns' stars well in the playoffs which are traditionally based around who executes better.
Not to look ahead too far, but Phoenix could get the Denver Nuggets in Round 2. While Denver - the defending champs - built around the probable best player in basketball in Nikola Jokic, they have shown a few tiny cracks over the closing weeks of the regular season.
The Suns are also one of two teams (Oklahoma City) to beat the Nuggets in Denver more than once this season. Phoenix also may not defeat the Nuggets in a prospective matchup.
The thing that is for sure is that Phoenix matches up exponentially better with the Nuggets than last year's rendition.
The truth is no one truly knows what's in store: the Suns have one of the highest variances in outcome among any of the 20 teams currently still in contention - they could lose first round, they could win it all.
The mystique of the NBA playoffs is basking in the unknown - the league is so much better when there is expansive parity - and Suns fans should have something to feel good about going into the most consequential playoff run in franchise history.
