Are the Suns really the best team in the NBA?
The Phoenix Suns currently sit atop the Western Conference and NBA standings with the league’s best record of 5-1.
The Suns currently rank first in the league in opponents points per game (98.7), pace (96.8 possessions per 48 minutes), fourth in defensive efficiency (101.8) and fifth in point differential (+9.3).
So far, Phoenix has defeated the Dallas Mavericks, Sacramento Kings, New Orleans Pelicans, Utah Jazz and Denver Nuggets. Four of those six teams were playoff teams in the West last season. The other two are packed with ascending talent and will look to make a playoff push in 2021.
This is a damn good basketball team.
Not only are they riding the high of going 8-0 in the bubble behind other-worldly play from their star in Devin Booker and up-and-coming studs like Mikal Bridges, DeAndre Ayton and Cam Johnson, they’ve loaded their roster in spots of need with solid, play-making veterans. Jae Crowder has come in and been a knockdown three-point shooter and E’Twaun Moore (who doesn’t play much) is an excellent locker-room presence.
Then, you know, Chris Paul. The future Hall of Famer has been exactly what this team needed — a standard setter, a perennial top ten point guard and another star added to the back court to play alongside Booker.
In a recent media session with Suns head coach Monty Williams, the former Pelicans head coach, had nothing but praise for Paul after the point guard hit a baseline pull up jumper to sink the Nuggets and seal a 106-103 victory for Phoenix.
“Chris (Paul) is a leader on the floor,” Williams said. “He’s not afraid to take those shots. It’s an asset for us to give the ball to him so (opposing defenses) can’t key on Devin (Booker) like they normally would. Him being able to knock down shots and having the ability and will to take those shots — it’s huge for us.”
The question remains, though. Is this the best team in the NBA? Will this trend continue?
To be quite frank, it’s tough to say.
In a Western Conference that is absolutely loaded with talent, it’d be extremely difficult for any team to tear through, let alone one as young as Phoenix. Not only are the previous teams listed a threat, the Suns have yet to play the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers. They’ll face the LA Clippers next in their schedule, and then one can’t forget the Portland Trail Blazers.
The Eastern Conference is trending upwards as well, with teams like Milwaukee, Boston, Miami, Brooklyn, Indiana and Philadelphia all vying for a title.
The Suns have just about every quality a team needs — depth, three point shooting, ability to protect the basket, incredible wing defense, a savvy veteran point guard in Paul, a lights out scorer in Booker and a top-tier coach who will be in the running for the NBA’s Coach of the Year award once the season has come to a close.
Whether or not Phoenix’s chances at a title are viable come playoff time is the unanswerable question for the moment. What can be said, though, is that they’re absolutely lethal right now. No team should wish to match up with the team from The Valley.
