Phoenix Suns Avoid Play-In Tournament, Face Timberwolves In First Round

Simply once you suppose the Phoenix Suns are out for the rely, they rise from the useless and exhibit flashes of brilliance.

Solely 5 days after a demoralizing house loss to the LA Clippers, a sport through which the Suns trailed 35-4 and had their spirit snatched away, they bounced again with three consecutive wins. Closing the season with a 49-33 document may be thought-about ‘underachieving’ for the star-laden Suns, however given the context of their chaotic season, they really put themselves in a stable place to start the playoffs.

Following their 19-point highway victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Suns managed to flee the play-in match and safe the West’s No. 6 seed.

It places them in a primary spherical sequence beginning subsequent weekend. They’ll have a well-known foe: Those self same Timberwolves, who need to be feeling immense stress (and maybe a little bit of worry) after getting destroyed by Phoenix to shut the yr.

In fact, sixth isn’t the place Phoenix wished to be when the season tipped off in October. They’d larger sights in thoughts, eyeing homecourt within the first spherical and all through the West playoffs.

However with the playing cards they have been dealt early within the season, this must do. The Suns wouldn’t be within the lucky place of avoiding the play-in with out the providers of Bradley Beal. He picked a terrific time to snap again into the celebrity expertise we bear in mind from Washington.

Beal’s 36 factors and 6-of-6 capturing from 3-point vary guided the Suns to one among their greatest wins of the yr. He carved up each defensive protection Minnesota tossed at him. It was additionally Beal who led the cost Friday in Sacramento, because the Suns overcame a 16-point deficit and saved their playoff hopes alive. His 12 factors and two steals within the fourth quarter supplied a spark that Phoenix wanted down the stretch.

Over the past 5 video games of the season, Beal averaged 26.8 factors, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.2 assists whereas capturing 56.1% from two, 73.1% on threes (!), and 100% on the line.

It was undoubtedly probably the most locked in he’s been since becoming a member of the Suns. And it couldn’t have come at a greater time.

Defensively, the Suns pressured 24 turnovers, with 19 coming within the first half. The one time they trailed was throughout the first two minutes of the sport.

“It was actually concerning the defensive aspect of the ball,” Vogel stated. “I don’t suppose I’ve ever been part of a crew that’s pressured 19 turnovers in a half earlier than. We have been flying round, our hole exercise was nice. Our protection execution was nice. It’s a snapshot of what we appear to be once we’re at our greatest.”

With Phoenix getting per week of relaxation earlier than the primary spherical begins, maybe that is the possibility for them to place the unusual common season behind them.

I’ve by no means skilled a crew undergo so many ups and downs or temper shifts all through an 82-game season. The primary 30 video games of the schedule have been a slog, largely as a result of they solely had their star trio collectively for — actually — a couple of minutes.

Heading into December 28, the Suns have been 15-15 and hovering round league common in level differential. They have been as mediocre as potential.

As soon as Beal returned to the lineup after coping with a nagging again damage, they went 34-18, which equates to a 54-win tempo over a full season. They have been one among 5 groups to rank within the prime 10 offensively and defensively throughout that span, becoming a member of the Celtics, Nuggets, Thunder, and Pelicans:

One week, it felt like an id disaster with fixed turnover issues and fourth quarter letdowns. Their standing as West contenders typically appeared unrealistic with puzzling house losses, head coach Frank Vogel calling out his crew’s toughness and bodily disposition, or defensive miscues attributable to an absence of communication.

There’s one factor you may say about this Suns group, nevertheless: They by no means let it spiral uncontrolled. Each tough stretch within the schedule was adopted by an emphatic reply. Phoenix’s potential to flush away unhealthy losses as a substitute of permitting them to linger round and have an effect on the locker room ought to acquire them some respect. It’s a top quality Vogel carried with him to Phoenix after successful the 2020 championship.

Trying forward, Phoenix has many causes to be optimistic about their possibilities in opposition to the Wolves.

That is the very best state of affairs for a Suns unit that, only a few days in the past, appeared destined for the 7-8 matchup. Had they fallen to seventh and received the play-in sport, their opponent can be the defending-champion Denver Nuggets. As an alternative, they’re set to face a gaggle that hasn’t made it out of the primary spherical.

To say they’ve had Minnesota’s quantity this is able to be a gross understatement. Phoenix is the one crew within the league to go 3-0 in opposition to the Wolves this season. However they haven’t simply been wins — not one of the video games felt shut. And that’s with Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert being out there for all three.

Solely eight groups posted a constructive cumulative differential over the Timberwolves this season. Discover the hole beneath between Phoenix and the sector. The Suns had a +23.3 internet score in opposition to Minnesota once you exclude rubbish time possessions:

On the similar time, the Suns aren’t falling into that entice. They refuse to get complacent on this matchup, understanding the playoffs set off a larger degree of preparation and intentionality on offense.

There might be extra obstacles for Phoenix to beat. As Vogel put it, the Wolves are extraordinarily well-coached, which implies they may current counters and certain have a response in Sport 1.

“You may’t make an excessive amount of of the common season matchups,” Vogel stated after Sunday’s sport. “They received nice dimension. I like their crew. I’m a man that has coached two bigs all through the course of my profession, and Coach Finch has carried out an incredible job with these guys. They’ve numerous expertise on that roster. Each side of the ball. It’s going to be a dogfight.”

Devin Booker echoed these sentiments, saying it received’t be the identical vibe when these squads tip off subsequent week.

“No, it’s a must to transfer ahead,” Booker stated. “It’s a complete completely different dynamic. We perceive that. We’re going to begin shifting our mindset to such. Every little thing goes to be completely different.”

For many who don’t bear in mind, the Suns received a style of this final yr, too. On the ultimate sport of the common season, Phoenix rested its starters in opposition to the Clippers, who elected to play their wholesome guys. It required a comeback by LA simply to safe an unimpressive win. However per week later, the Clippers marched into Footprint Middle to start a playoff sequence and stole Sport 1 when the Suns’ stars have been again within the lineup.

Above all else, Vogel is simply relieved Phoenix received’t fall sufferer to the play-in match. Too many issues may’ve gone flawed.

“We’re enthusiastic about it,” he stated. “We wished to complete within the prime six to keep away from the likelihood — I imply, we’d’ve been assured in a play-in sport, however you keep away from the potential of a foul capturing evening or rolled ankle altering the destiny of your season. We have been motivated to play all 82 (video games). It was going to take all 82. Ten video games in the past, we appeared on the ‘hardest schedule’ within the league by far, 10 straight opponents that have been within the prime six. And we went 7-3 in that stretch. We additionally stated that degree of competitors was going to sharpen us.”

Sport 1 of the Suns-Timberwolves sequence will tip off Saturday, April 20.