Phoenix Suns Must Make Early Run in Wide-Open Western Conference
The Phoenix Suns have started a modest 4-3, but the time has come for Jeff Hornacek's club to seize the moment and make a run up the Western Conference standings.
As the San Antonio Spurs continue to recover from their championship hangover and the dilapidated Oklahoma City Thunder struggle to tread water without Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, Phoenix can take advantage of a soft November schedule and start solidifying its position as a postseason contender.
One season removed from nearly being readmitted into the West's postseason society, signs point to Phoenix being in one of the conference's most favorable spots entering a crucial two-week stretch.
Outside of the Spurs and Thunder, trendy preseason risers and presumed playoff entrants like the Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Clippers have also struggled to churn out consistent efforts in conjunction with the arrivals of new pieces.
Although pivotal contests aren't classically played prior to Christmas, the Suns will be tasked with separating themselves from struggling clubs now before they're forced to make up ground when time isn't a luxury they can afford.
Which brings us to the next couple weeks.
While the Suns own impressive wins against the San Antonio Spurs (Oct. 31) and Golden State Warriors (Nov. 9), Phoenix's other two victories have come against the hapless Los Angeles Lakers and their league-worst defense. Consider the fact that losses to the Memphis Grizzlies, Sacramento Kings and Utah Jazz have cropped up along the way, and the Suns remain a work in progress as they seek a return to elite offensive form.
But after the Suns complete a three-game-in-four-night stretch against the Brooklyn Nets (Wednesday), Charlotte Hornets (Friday) and Clippers (Saturday) this week, Phoenix will have a chance to rip off a flurry of wins.
Here's a preview of what that upcoming slate will look like:
| Nov. 17 | at Boston Celtics |
| Nov. 19 | at Detroit Pistons |
| Nov. 21 | at Philadelphia 76ers |
| Nov. 22 | at Indiana Pacers |
| Nov. 24 | at Toronto Raptors |
| Nov. 26 | vs. Denver Nuggets |
| Nov. 28 | at Denver Nuggets |
| Nov. 30 | vs. Orlando Magic |
| Dec. 2 | vs. Indiana Pacers |
Not only will the Suns be afforded the luxury of squaring off primarily against Eastern Conference bottom-feeders (Toronto is an exception), but there isn't one elite Western Conference team in that lot.
As of Tuesday night, the combined records of those upcoming opponents sits at 16-32, good for a winning percentage of .333.
The road trip will also be the perfect opportunity for Phoenix to smooth out some rough edges on offense, as continuity has eluded one of the league's most intimidating uptempo units.
Seven games into the season, the Suns are producing just 102.9 points per 100 possessions, a mark that ranks slightly below the league average and in the same tier as the Lakers, Kings and Atlanta Hawks, according to NBA.com.
And while Phoenix is knocking down threes at a clip (8.7 per game) nearly consistent with last season's production (9.3), they're falling through the net at a more erratic rate (33.7 percent).
Despite the relative synergistic struggles of Goran Dragic (14.4 points per game on 44.7 percent shooting) and Eric Bledsoe (14.1 points on 44.6 percent shooting), the Suns bench has provided relief, producing an average of 41.4 points a night, per HoopsStats.
According to Suns.com's Matt Petersen, Gerald Green and Isaiah Thomas have formed an immediate on-court connection within the confines of Phoenix's second unit:
"Perhaps most encouraging about the Thomas-Green development is that their on-court synergy hasn't been a forced affair. The 5-9 Thomas will often hit the 6-8 Green in stride on the fast break or as he comes off one or two down screens. Subsequently, Green gets in-the-flow opportunities to get his shot going almost as soon as he enters the game.
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As Green told reporters, according to Suns.com's Greg Esposito, the bench is determined to step up and make opposing defenses pay:
The good news is that while the offense has stumbled out of the gate to a degree, Phoenix's defense has looked much sharper than it did a season ago.
Surrendering 102 points per 100 possessions, according to NBA.com, the Suns have been able to maintain a positive net efficiency rating despite offensive struggles. That can be attributed to the mindset Hornacek has been instilling in his players, according to Petersen.
"We're just harping on that same activity, not letting your offense dictate your defense. You've got to play good defense no matter what's going on on offense. We beat San Antonio because of our defense. It wasn't because of our offense. That's where we have to focus.
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Possessing an improving defense and potentially potent offense, Phoenix will soon be presented with a perfect chance to rattle off wins against inferior opponents and announce its presence without authority in a crowded Western Conference.
And with an opportunity to end a four-year playoff drought, that's all the motivation Phoenix needs to step its game up with fruitful gains on the line.
All statistics courtesy of NBA.com and current as of Nov. 11 unless noted otherwise.
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