The Phoenix Suns' season has been disappointing no matter what metric you look at. Despite having two All-NBA caliber players in Kevin Durant and Devin Booker — and the league's most expensive roster — the Suns sit at No. 11 in the Western Conference with a 31-37 record.
With only 14 games left in the season, time is running out for the Suns to make a play-in push. While the Dallas Mavericks' unprecedented injuries could help, the Suns' remaining schedule is daunting to say the least. According to Tankathon, the Suns have the league's hardest remaining schedule. Let's dive into the Suns' brutal schedule and play-in chances.
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The Suns remaining schedule is a gauntlet
11 of the Suns' 14 games remaining games are against playoff or play-in teams. This includes matchups against all playoff teams from March 21st to April 9th against 10 playoff teams. During this stretch, the Suns will play the Boston Celtics twice, the Oklahoma City Thunder once and the Cleveland Cavaliers once.
In addition to playing the league's three best teams, the Suns will have to take on the surging Minnesota Timberwolves and the Golden State Warriors. Despite the Mavericks' injuries and the fact that Phoenix is just 2.5 games out of the play-in, moving up the standings will be incredibly challenging especially given their underwhelming play this season.
Phoenix's many problems
While many thought the Suns could turn their season around after the All-Star break, things have only gotten worse with a 5-9 post All-Star break record. In a season with so much disappointment, the Suns' issues are layered.
For starters, their roster construction is flawed, as they have three elite creators but lack dependable off-ball threats and high-quality defenders. Moreover, their center rotation is arguably the worst in the league, even after trading away Jusuf Nurkić. Consequently, they have the No. 27-ranked defense.
Mike Budenholzer's rotations and coaching style have also been a point of contention with this team all season long. Rookie Ryan Dunn's minutes have been the most questionable decision. Dunn started 28 games early in the season and was making a quality two-way impact, however, he fell out of the rotation in mid-February before once again returning to the starting lineup recently.
In his two games back, Dunn has scored 16 points and four steals, then 13 points and three steals. This included a win over the Sacramento Kings. With Dunn on the court, the Suns' defense jumps up to 13th, he is vital to their success and especially helps their poor defense.
Additionally, Budenholzer's handling of Tyus Jones' and Mason Plumlee's minutes has also been criticized. Budenholzer has also openly told Booker to tone it down as a leader and has been seen arguing with Durant. It seems like he's lost the locker room and is on the way out.
On the court, the Suns look disjointed, which is in part due to the coaching drama and possibly the Durant trade rumors as well. Between their many on-court problems and brutal remaining schedule, the Suns season appears to be unsalvageable. Maybe they can sneak to the playoffs, but it would take a remarkable turnaround, especially given how challenging their schedule is. Ultimately, expect sweeping changes in Phoenix this offseason.