After acquiring Kevin Durant before the 2023 NBA trade deadline, the Phoenix Suns ascended to heavy favorites to win the Western Conference. Unfortunately, Durant sustained an ankle injury in warmups before his home debut at Footprint Center. He is expected to return by Wednesday if no setbacks occur, so Phoenix will have several games to gain the vital chemistry and repetitions with their generational superstar.
Devin Booker and Chris Paul are healthy, but Deandre Ayton has incurred a hip injury, so their Big four might still not be complete by Wednesday night. This roster has a shallow bench, but they have the immense talent necessary to rampage through the West playoffs and advance to the NBA Finals. With the tight standings in the West, anything can happen in the last couple of weeks, but the Suns will likely stay in the top six and advance straight to the playoffs.
Even if they will not experience the uncertainty of a play-in tournament contest, they must avoid one nightmare scenario at all costs.
Suns drop to play-in, face Memphis in 2-7 matchup
The Suns are only two games ahead of the seventh-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves, so a mini-slump for one week can slide them to the dangerous battles in the play-in tournament. With Durant ramping up and Ayton hurt, it is plausible for this situation to occur. Even if they do drop to the play-in tournament, there is no chance for them to miss the playoffs, so playing the Memphis Grizzlies when they are the seventh seed can be a disaster for them.
The Grizzlies or the Sacramento Kings will likely clinch the second seed, so Phoenix will want to avoid that. The inexperience of Memphis was evident in last year's playoffs, but they have gained the essential repetitions at the biggest stage. The continued ascension of leading Defensive Player of the Year candidate Jaren Jackson Jr. and sharpshooter Desmond Bane has been fantastic for the Grizzlies.
The Ja Morant issues have been on every news channel or social media account, but it is not affecting the overall performance of the Grizzlies. Tyus Jones was remarkable during Morant's absence, and he continues to prove that he is the best backup point guard in the association. The halfcourt offense can be an issue for the Grizzlies, but the maturity of Morant's game will be unlocked in the postseason and be a dynamic threat to the Suns' perimeter defense.
Morant will be the critical piece that will propel this squad to a deep playoff run this year. On the defensive end, Memphis is third in defensive rating in the NBA, so they will have a multitude of options to try and contain both Devin Booker and Kevin Durant. Deandre Ayton will not be able to dominate his matchup because Jackson Jr. and Steven Adams (when he returns) will handle the paint for the Grizzlies.
For Phoenix, imagine Chris Paul and Devin Booker chasing around Ja Morant, Tyus Jones, and Desmond Bane for a seven-game series. That will be an arduous task for them, and this series will be the juncture wherein they will heavily miss the services of Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, and Jae Crowder.
Now, the Suns need more defensive personnel to match up with the stars in the league. Head coach Monty Williams will likely utilize Josh Okogie or Torrey Craig for more minutes, but there will be sacrifices on the other end.
The Suns have the most talent in the West, but they would want to avoid facing a team with tremendous chemistry and a well-oiled machine in the Memphis Grizzlies.
Follow Us
Subscribe