The Phoenix Suns have one of their best teams in franchise history on the floor this season.
Unfortunately for them, they have not been able to play at full strength to date.
The Suns have Kevin Durant, who is averaging the fifth-most points (29.9) per game this season. Star guard Devin Booker has missed five of seven games and former Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal is yet to play in the regular season.
Phoenix is 3-4 through seven games.
Kevin Durant's effective, efficient performance
Durant is one of the NBA's 10 best players when healthy and to many, a top-three caliber player when at his peak.
Durant should be an early MVP candidate. He has carried the Suns without Booker, who last year led the playoffs in scoring, and Beal.
Durant is No. 24 in the NBA in plus-minus (+58). The Suns would not be at three wins without him, and that says something.
Durant in his first 20 games with the Suns, including 19 regular-season and postseason games, were not at the level many expected from him. He notably shot 6-of-27 from three in the Suns' second-round series against the Denver Nuggets in the 2023 playoffs. Some felt if Durant shot better, Phoenix would have won that series.
Durant in Phoenix's season-opener against the Golden State Warriors shot just 7-of-22. Since then, he has looked as good as any time in his career.
Durant in the Suns' 120-106 win over the Detroit Pistons Sunday had 41 points on just 27 shots. He looked crisp, getting to his spots at the mid-post and baseline to score.
Durant's hot start is nothing new for those who have followed him. The Brooklyn Nets at one point before Durant was traded in 2022-23 won 16 of 17 games. In that span, Durant shot 58.9 percent from the field and averaged 30.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 1.1 blocks and 0.9 steals. He also shot 42.7 percent from the 3-point line and 95.9 percent from the free-throw line.
Durant is putting up those numbers for the Suns now. Phoenix still has some supporters who want former forwards Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson on the team. But Durant is clearly still a superstar, one of the best players in the world and someone who can carry the Suns to their first-ever championship.
Durant in the last few games eclipsed 27,000 points and 7,000 rebounds for his career. He is one of only six players (LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Karl Malone, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain) to reach that mark.
The Suns have a difficult game Friday at home against the Los Angeles Lakers. It will be their first NBA in-season tournament game.
Durant played Oct. 26 on the road versus the Lakers, James and Anthony Davis and was stellar. He had 39 points on 14-of-28 shooting and made 10-of-13 free throws. Durant also had 11 rebounds and two assists.
Phoenix needs to get Booker and Beal healthy to help Durant. But he has proven so far he can carry the Suns to more wins and is in the running for his second MVP award.
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