The Phoenix Suns have once again been playing like one of the top teams in basketball this season. They made it to the NBA Finals last season but were defeated by the Milwaukee Bucks. Fast forward to this season, and the Suns have the best record in the NBA, proving that last year's success was no fluke and that they are here to stay, not only in the Western Conference, but across the NBA.
It's difficult to argue that any other team has looked better than the Suns this season. Because Chris Paul and Devin Booker are two of the top players in the NBA, they've enjoyed a lot of success the previous two seasons. When a team is as good as the Suns, role players who are unsung heroes play just as important of a part as the stars.
Let's take a look at the three biggest unsung heroes of this Phoenix Suns team.
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Suns Unsung Heroes 2022
3. Mikal Bridges
Mikal Bridge has not only been an unsung hero for the Phoenix Suns, but there is a case to be made that he might be an All-Star this season because of his defensive abilities.
If he does not make the first or second team all-defensive team, the voters will be making a horrible decision because he has been outstanding on defense. Because he has the duty of covering the opposing team's best score every night, he's a big reason why the Suns have as much success as they do. He is not just a high-level defender, as he has also been figuring it out on the offensive side of the ball over the last two seasons, and at only 25 years old, he appears to be one of the league's elite two-way players.
Bridges is one of those players that is always diving for balls that are going out of bounds and doing all he can to chase down rebounds for this team. Every championship-caliber team would be ecstatic to have a player like him because he goes out every night and gives it his all.
When you play alongside two of the best players in the NBA, it's difficult for guys like Bridges to get the respect they deserve, but he's one of the most underappreciated players in the league, and the Suns wouldn't be as good if he wasn't on the team.
Mikal is an elite defender who can also score the basketball in many different ways.
2. Cameron Johnson
Cameron Johnson has made a huge leap in this league from when he first arrived three seasons ago. He is one of the Suns' top role players, bench options, and he is a significant part of their success. He's averaging 11.7 points per game, a career-best, while shooting almost 43% from 3-point range and attempting nearly six per game.
He's developed into one of the NBA's elite 3-point shooters, and he's a big reason why the Suns have had so much success the last two seasons. He can not only hit the three-point shot, but he can also play defense at a high level, which might lead to his being one of the top 3&D options in the NBA.
If he can maintain this level of three-point shooting, he will be a player the Suns would like to keep on their roster for a long time.
1. Bismack Biyombo
Bismack Biyombo has had an interesting career, bouncing around from team to team. Few teams have given him a chance, but the Suns were finally able to do so because they were injured at the center position. Biyombo has done everything and then some of what they could have expected of him. He has demonstrated that he has the potential to be a high-level player in this league.
He hasn't been an unsung hero of this year's squad yet because he has only played in seven games, but he will be for the rest of the season. He's been nothing short of sensational in his seven games, averaging 8.6 points and six rebounds in only 18.9 minutes a night. There's a chance he won't play much when Ayton returns, but a championship-caliber team like the Suns always needs a guy who can play respectable minutes and still play at a high level when their stars aren't on the floor.
Biyombo will be a player the Suns will look for at the end of the season to step in for Ayton when he needs a break. If he can keep performing at this level, there's a potential he'll get some playing time when Ayton returns.
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