Phoenix Suns Haven't Set

As devout a Mavericks fan as I am, I'll also admit that, because of natural ties to Arizona (I served an LDS mission in Tucson, as many of you know), I kind of hope for the Suns to do well at the same time.

But since there appears to be just one Playoff spot between Dallas and Phoenix, I have to hope that the boys in purple and orange finish short.

In all likelihood, they probably will, but no one can belittle what the Suns have done, especially this week.

In victories over the Nuggets and Jazz in front of raucous crowds at the U.S. Airways Center, Phoenix has made some great theater for NBA fans lucky enough to tune in.

From Jason Richardson's emergence as a go-to threat to Grant Hill's renaissance, this club has truly been an inspiring story for broadcasters and viewers alike.

Thanks to my All-Access membership at nba.com, I can tune into various broadcasts across the league, and I often choose to center my Internet radio on Al McCoy on KTAR out of Phoenix.

The man has been a staple of Maricopa County broadcasting since the Kennedy administration but still has a childlike exuberance when he calls games. He's particularly excited that new stars, such as Jared Dudley and Alando Tucker, care developing.

Now, if my Mavericks can hold serve, they'll be in the postseason while Phoenix does no more than look on. With that said, fans in the Valley have to be ecstatic with the new direction of the team under Steve Kerr.

I expect Kerr to continue moving players, as Amare Stoudemire will likely be allowed to leave in the offseason. For whatever reason, as Gambo of KTAR's "Gambo & Ash" astutely stated, the Suns appear to be better without Stoudemire in the lineup.

Of course, Phoenix, whether they make the Playoffs this season or not, must find ways to improve itself as the Western Conference promises to be just as strong next season.

In any case, in an NBA season which has already been tons of fun, I'd like to congratulate the Phoenix Suns for making things even more intriguing.