Losses happen every so often even to the best teams in NBA history. The ballyhooed 1996 Chicago Bulls lost thirteen games on their way to the title, while the 73-9 Golden State Warriors had as many losses in the postseason than they had in the regular season, failing to win the championship after choking away a 3-1 lead. Nonetheless, some defeats are more painful than others, and the Phoenix Suns, led by Chris Paul know this all too well.
After winning 64 games in the regular season and having ambitions of not just making it back to the Finals, but also getting the franchise its first ring, the Suns proceeded to crap the bed in Game 7 of the second round of the playoffs last season against the Dallas Mavericks at home, going down by 30 at halftime, losing the game 90-123 in the end.
More than five months later, memories of the game still burn vividly in the minds of Chris Paul and head coach Monty Williams. However, it's this pain that has fueled what had been a strong start to the 2022-23 season for the Suns thus far, going 3-1 with impressive wins over the Mavs, Los Angeles Clippers, and Golden State Warriors.
“I think we all still feel the pain of the way we went out. And that can drive you. It doesn’t mean you’re going to win it, but it certainly will motivate you to work on things you need to work on and address things you need to address,” Williams said, per NBC Sports.
“I think it definitely motivates us,” Paul chimed in.
One thing Chris Paul has learned through the entire ordeal isn't that the regular season doesn't matter, but rather, it's vital for the Suns to sustain their level of play for more than 82 games in an eight-month span.
“We also understand how important but unimportant these [regular-season] games are. You know what I mean? We understand it’s about building — 60-something wins last year don’t mean nothing. So right now we just try not to get too high, not get too low. Keep building,” Paul added.
Many were down on the Suns especially after that crushing Game 7 loss. The franchise also had to deal with the Robert Sarver controversy during the offseason, and they've had to deal with Jae Crowder's trade request.
But if the early returns are any indication, it seems as if the Suns are back in business as one of the NBA's legitimate contenders, especially with Devin Booker playing at an elite level alongside Chris Paul and company.
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