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The Phoenix Suns fell 104-102 to the lowly San Antonio Spurs on Monday, sustaining an unexpected blow to their playoff hopes.
San Antonio played without rookie sensation Victor Wembanyama, who was sidelined due to a left ankle sprain. So, Phoenix had a prime opportunity to secure a relatively easy road victory against the Western Conference’s worst team (16-56).
The Suns got off to a slow start, falling behind by 11 points late in the first quarter. However, they rallied to take a second-quarter lead, extending their advantage to nine points midway through the third period.
Unfortunately for Phoenix, it couldn’t maintain control of the game, leaving the door open for San Antonio to steal a victory. After a back-and-forth final frame, Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan drilled a go-ahead 3-pointer to give San Antonio a 104-102 lead with 29.2 seconds remaining.
Sochan’s shot proved to be the game-winner, as Suns superstars Kevin Durant and Devin Booker each missed game-winning 3-point attempts in the final seconds.
The Spurs were led by 26 points apiece from Sochan and wing Devin Vassell. Sochan added a game-high 18 rebounds. Meanwhile, the Suns couldn’t capitalize on Booker’s game-high 36-point performance.
The embarrassing loss dropped Phoenix two spots in the crowded West standings, jeopardizing its hopes of securing a top-six seed and avoiding the play-in tournament.
On that note, here’s a brief snapshot of Phoenix’s standing in the West playoff picture with 10 games remaining.
Phoenix Suns Playoff Picture: Standings
Following Monday’s loss to San Antonio, the Suns (42-30) sit eighth in the West, just 0.5 games behind the sixth-seeded Dallas Mavericks (42-29). Additionally, they trail the fourth-seeded New Orleans Pelicans (44-27) by 2.5 games. So, Phoenix is within striking distance of obtaining homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
On the other hand, the Suns could fall farther down the standings, as they only have a 2.5-game advantage over the ninth-placed LA Lakers (39-32). However, they have a comfortable 5.0-game edge over the 10th-placed Golden State Warriors (36-34).
So, if Phoenix remains competitive to close the season, it shouldn’t finish lower than ninth.
Phoenix Suns Playoff Picture: Schedule
Unfortunately for the Suns, they have the NBA’s toughest remaining strength of schedule, with an average opponent winning percentage of .647.
Remarkably, all 10 of Phoenix’s remaining games come against teams above .500, including four matchups against the West’s top-three seeds. Meanwhile, six of those 10 contests come on the road.
So, the Suns face a difficult pathway to obtaining a top-six seed.
Phoenix Suns Playoff Picture: X-factor
During Monday’s letdown against San Antonio, Phoenix received little production outside of Booker and Durant. The superstar duo combined for 65 points, while the rest of the Suns combined for only 37 points, including just one player in double-figures.
So, the Suns will likely need their supporting cast to step up considerably over their remaining 10 games against top-tier opponents. If not, they could be forced to fight for their lives in the play-in.
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Guess the Lakers players!
