Phoenix Suns Given Massive Boost By Insider Regarding NBA Finals Chances

The Phoenix Suns have dominated the NBA regular season to the tune of 64 wins, but many onlookers are still looking past their chances of returning to the NBA Finals.

ESPN NBA Front Office Insider Bobby Marks recently made an appearance on Arizona Sports’ “Burns & Gambo” podcast where he made it clear why the Suns should be seen as the favorites to win the Western Conference and the Larry O’Brien trophy.

“I’m not buying Golden State (Warriors). I’m not buying Memphis (Grizzlies). The Doncic injury—certainly I’m not buying Dallas (Mavericks). I think there’s a ton of separation for where Phoenix is and the rest of the team in the Western Conference,” said Marks as quoted by Arizona Sports.

“They basically have a little bit of everything and they still have an edge from last year losing in the Finals. Their starters, their depth, they can win a lot of different ways. They’ve proven clutch time — probably the best team we’ve seen in a long time.”

Marks also stressed that comparing them to the 73-9 Golden State Warriors is unfair to both sides.

He did, however, put them alongside the Kevin Durant-era Warriors squad, a team that would go on to win two titles in three years.

The Suns are certainly up there among the elite teams of the past in terms of how well they have been playing on the court despite the seeming lack of household names that fans outside of The Valley have come to know.

Following Chris Paul’s 11-game absence, many believed that the Suns would become vulnerable to losing, but three-time All-Star Devin Booker and his supporting cast of lockdown defender Mikal Bridges plus Deandre Ayton held the team down.

The Suns went 8-3 during this time, with Booker putting up an MVP-caliber stat line with 28.2 points, seven assists, and 4.6 rebounds--numbers that he would go on to sustain for the rest of the season.

While the defending champions in the Milwaukee Bucks have all the right to be called favorites, the Suns made improvements to their roster’s depth throughout the regular season that points to an ever-growing desire to prove themselves in the postseason.

Factor in how tight-knit this team acts off the court, and the secret to their success has been there all along.

“I think it’s just the experience factor has prepared them and (GM James Jones) has done a good job. He realized that to get through a team like Milwaukee or some of these other big teams — maybe it’s Denver down the road — that you have to address size. You have to get some shooters off your bench, which they certainly did with Landry (Shamet),” Marks added.

With their experience plus the guidance of head coach Monty Williams in the past three seasons, the Suns are more than ready to take on all comers this postseason as they await the winner of the play-in Tournament matchup between the New Orleans Pelicans and Los Angeles Clippers.