Suns 2015-16 Schedule: Top Games, Championship Odds and Record Predictions

On the heels of a season that saw them finish six games out of a playoff spot in the Western Conference, the Phoenix Suns may have put themselves in position to crack the top eight in 2015-16.

In order to do so, they will need to traverse a difficult and talented conference. The full schedule the Suns will face can be found here, courtesy of NBA.com.

Simply making the postseason is the first step in Phoenix's development after finishing ninth and 10th over the past two years, respectively. Few expect the Suns to go much deeper than that, which is likely why they are a 100-1 shot to win the NBA championship, according to OddsShark.com.

Even so, there is plenty of optimism regarding the up-and-coming Suns after they signed center Tyson Chandler, re-signed point guard Brandon Knight and drafted shooting guard Devin Booker.

Here is a rundown of some of the Suns' most intriguing matchups in 2015-16, as well as a preseason prediction of how they will fare during the upcoming campaign.

Analyzing Top Matchups

Phoenix Suns at Dallas Mavericks

Date: Dec. 14

Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press

Perhaps no team's fanbase got burned worse this season than that of the Dallas Mavericks. Not only did center DeAndre Jordan renege on his agreement to join the team in favor of returning to the Los Angeles Clippers, but the Mavs also lost Chandler to the Suns.

Chandler helped lead Dallas to a title in 2011 before signing with the New York Knicks, but he returned last season and was a key contributor to a playoff team. He averaged 10.3 points, 11.5 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game, which is production the Mavericks have failed to replace.

Knight believes Chandler will be a true difference-maker in Phoenix this season, according to the Suns' official Twitter account:

Suns general manager Ryan McDonough agrees, and he pointed toward the 7-footer's defensive dominance as a missing piece to the playoff puzzle, per Paul Coro of AZCentral.com:

"

Defensively, we've been a little bit lacking. I feel really good about Tyson's addition because now we'll have a rim protector and defensive anchor on the court almost at all times with Tyson and Alex (Len). If you look at elite teams as we try to build toward that championship level, usually those teams are in top 10 in offensive and defensive efficiency. We've been in the top 10 at least for stretches of the past two years offensively. Defensively, we haven't been there. Part of that is personnel. Part of that is experience and that comes with continuity. That is something we're trying to build.

"

Losing a player of Chandler's caliber promises to have a negative impact on the Mavs this season. In fact, Dallas is likely one of the playoff teams the Suns will have to bypass in order to qualify for the postseason.

While Chandler chose to leave the Mavericks, it is unlikely that fans in Dallas will react too negatively toward him since the Mavs essentially allowed him to go in favor of pursuing Jordan.

With that said, he didn't exactly endear himself to his former fanbase by backing up Jordan in an interview with TMZ.

"[It was] a little iffy," Chandler said. "[But] every man has his own right to make his own decision."

One can only assume Mavericks fans will have plenty of built-up vitriol throughout the season based on the fact that they were given a raw deal, and if they decide to take some of it out on Chandler, then it could create a fun rivalry between the Suns and Mavs.

Phoenix Suns vs. Miami Heat

Date: Jan. 8

The Suns and their fans are ready to move on from the past couple of seasons in anticipation of a run toward the playoffs, but they won't forget the manner in which star guard Goran Dragic forced his way out of town.

Prior to last season's trade deadline, the 2014 NBA Most Improved Player was critical of the Suns and expressed his desire to be traded, according to the Associated Press (h/t ESPN.com).

"I don't trust them anymore," Dragic said. "I love the city, but it's just reached that point in my career where it's better for me and my family to move on."

He got his wish, as Phoenix dealt him to Miami. After making the trade, McDonough suggested that the Slovenian guard wasn't interested in being a team player, per Coro:

"

Every move we make is with the goal of getting the Phoenix Suns to a championship level. Sometimes, players view that as a good thing. I think they usually do. The good ones do. But, sometimes, players get a little selfish and are more worried about I, me and my than us, our and we.

"

Dragic re-signed with the Heat this offseason, and his comments to Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel after doing so could have irked Suns fans:

The Heat have a chance to be one of the Eastern Conference's top teams this season behind Dragic, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, and since Dragic left the Suns on poor terms, it is likely that the fans will be heated when Phoenix hosts Miami at Talking Stick Resort Arena.

Add in the fact that Miami has two additional former Suns in Amar'e Stoudemire and Gerald Green, and it will be easy for the Phoenix faithful to get a bit more hyped than usual for the meeting.

Record Prediction

Phoenix has a talented team with a good mix of youth and veterans. A playoff berth is possible if the stars remain healthy and the younger players continue to develop, but it is far from guaranteed.

Perhaps the biggest key lies in the backcourt with the combination of Knight and Eric Bledsoe. While Knight's production dropped off to just over 13 points per game after the Suns acquired him from the Milwaukee Bucks last season, he was hampered by an ankle injury that limited him to just 11 games.

The 23-year-old guard should be healthy when the 2015-16 campaign begins, and his father, Efrem Knight, believes he is in line for his best season yet, according to NBA.com's Matt Petersen:

"

I don't think anybody has seen the real Brandon. But now that he has a home, all that other stuff goes to the back of his mind. He doesn't have to worry about any of that other stuff. He's somewhere where he's wanted and the Phoenix Suns have accepted him. His confidence level is going to go through the roof.

"

If Knight can return to the 17.8 points and 5.4 assists he was averaging for the Bucks prior to the trade, then Phoenix should be a better team in 2015-16.

Knight will also have to coexist with Bledsoe, who put up 17 points and a career-best 6.1 assists per contest last season. Some have questioned if they can work together effectively as starters, but they certainly give the Suns an interesting dynamic since both players can handle the ball well.

In addition to that, Bledsoe is seemingly taking steps to be a better leader this offseason, per AZCentral Sports on Twitter:

As important as it is for guys like Knight, Bledsoe, Chandler and Markieff Morris to produce, the Suns also need the likes of Booker, Alex Len and T.J. Warren to step up.

Booker gives Phoenix a potential sharpshooter to make up for the loss of Green, while Warren and Len are entering their second and third NBA seasons, respectively. They are both talented players, and their growth could be the difference between a playoff berth and another near miss.

The Mavericks and Portland Trail Blazers are likely to drop out of the playoff picture this season, which leaves the door open for the Oklahoma City Thunder and one other team. Thanks to a solid offseason, the Suns will finally find their way into the eighth and final playoff spot in 2016. 

Projected record: 44-38

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