Predicting the floor and ceiling for the Phoenix Suns in the 2021-22 NBA season
By Adit Pujari
Phoenix Suns win the Western Conference Finals against the Los Angeles Clippers
The Phoenix Suns experienced an unbelievable 2020-21 NBA season. With a record 51-21 win loss ratio, the Valley of the Suns were seeded second in the Western Conference. The road to the finals was not an easy one, however. There were ample of moments when we couldn't help but feel this was it for their run.
The Suns beat all odds, all predictions, and all Western Conference rivals to book a series against the fearsome Eastern Conference winner Milwaukee Bucks. The result is known to the world. Giannis would dominate the Suns to take the championship. An end to Phoenix's 2020-21 dream of conquering the league might not be the end after all.
Read on to learn about our predictions for the Phoenix Suns' 2021-22 NBA season.
Predicting the floor for the Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns v Los Angeles Clippers - Game Six
The team from Phoenix has established itself as an offensive threat. But they still have some weaknesses that were highlighted in their matchup against the Bucks. The Chris Paul-led Suns lacked a dominant paint player other than Deandre Ayton. Of course Jae Crowder is also a name on the roster but he is not by any means a dominant big man.
Phoenix Suns: Should Devin Booker, Chris Paul, Deandre Ayton rank Top 5 or higher among top Big 3s in NBA? https://t.co/aHAKhgNr9w
— azcentral sports (@azcsports) August 16, 2021
So if Ayton is injured, a team like the LA Lakers or Denver Nuggets will absolutely trash the Phoenix Suns. Due to this lack of paint depth, we predict that the Valley of the Suns will reach the playoffs but be knocked out in the first round series.
Predicting the cieling for the Phoenix Suns
Suns weaknesses aside, the trio of Devin Booker, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton are absolute beasts on the offense. Paul is the best mid-range shooter of the 2020-21 season. Devin Booker is being compared to Kobe Bryant for his potential of making clutch shots and creating his own shots. Meanwhile, Deandre is a decent rebounder and tip-off scorer.
Anytime to be mentioned amongst some of the greatest to ever play the game, it's an honor and a privilege!! More than anything I'm grateful to God for the longevity. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/a8aa6nQa8W
— Chris Paul (@CP3) February 21, 2021
If these three can maintain an injury-free season, they have ample of support players to cement their playoff runs. They are the winners of the last Western Conference Finals and hold the potential to at least appear in another Western Conference Finals series.
The Phoenix Suns will also enjoy a fifth easiest schedule this season, according to the Strength of Schedule metric calculated by Positive Residual. This will ensure an easy ticket to the playoffs, but the journey from the playoffs to the Conference Finals will depend on how their key players perform. Regardless, the upcoming season holds a lot of opportunities for the team.
NBA Phoenix Suns Chris Paul Devin Booker NBA Players NBA Predictions
Edited by Arnav Kholkar