Phoenix Suns are nine games away from the 2024 NBA playoffs. On Wednesday, the Suns — 43-30, seventh in the West — took down the first-place team in the conference and defending champion Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena, 104-97.
The Suns were led by Kevin Durant, who they traded Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson and five picks for. Durant may have had his best game since he totaled 30 points and five blocks, his most since 2019.
“Just getting comfortable with that playoff intensity a little earlier,” Durant said on ESPN's ‘Sportscenter.'”
The Suns will face teams with at least 40 wins for their remaining games. Phoenix is looking to fight its way out of the seven through 10 spots, which would constitute the play-in seeds.
Suns' nightmare seeding scenario: NBA play-in
When the Suns assembled their Big 3, majority owner Mat Ishbia said he felt the group was the best in the NBA. Five months later, the Suns have struggled to grasp their identity.
Phoenix is 20-12 when it has Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal together. However, the Suns have also been one of the worst fourth-quarter teams in NBA history and they have struggled to take care of the basketball.
Potential play-in matchups: Warriors, Lakers, Kings, Mavericks, Rockets
No matter who the Suns have the NBA play-in, they would have homecourt advantage if it started today. But Suns center Jusuf Nurkic said the team needs to stay out of it.
“At the end of the day, I understand that when the playoff comes, it's a different ballgame,” Nurkic said. “We have three of those (players with Durant, Booker and Beal). I feel really confident to see who's going to beat us 4-0 in any case scenario. I don't really care what happens.
“I do want to finish out of the play-in, because I've been there, been a part of the play-in, know what it takes and how much it takes you from rest and everything.”
Phoenix has struggled with health. Beal has missed 29 games and Booker, the team's best player, has missed 14. Durant is considered the best player to many but did not have the same impact as Booker in the 2023 NBA playoffs and is struggling to take care of the basketball, averaging 3.3 turnovers.
The Suns need to focus on themselves in order to advance out of the first round of the play-in and secure a playoff spot. But if they don't…
Potential nightmare matchup: OKC Thunder
The Thunder have plenty of counters that make the Suns vulnerable.
Oklahoma City is the youngest playoff team, since its starting lineup has an average age of under 23. But Phoenix would struggle to match the connectedness of the Thunder over a seven-game series.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads Oklahoma City, which plays a quick brand of basketball. The Thunder score on the fastbreak (15.6 points per game) and in the paint (52.5). They also shoot 39 percent from three and are a top-10 team in threes made (13.4) per game.
The Suns have more often than not struggled to define their point-guard position. Bradley Beal is considered the leader but Booker is the go-to playmaker and scorer in the fourth. Durant initiates often but sometimes Grayson Allen and Eric Gordon drive and look him off.
OKC loves to run, which would force the Suns to play with pace. Phoenix is No. 15 in pace, according to Statmuse.
Booker and Beal are younger and in their prime, so they would be able to run with Oklahoma City. Even though Nurkic is an advantage for the Suns since OKC is No. 28 in the NBA in rebounds per game, he would not have the ability to stay on the floor much if he struggles with his perimeter defense.
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