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The Phoenix Suns secured a critical 117-107 overtime road win over the reigning champion Denver Nuggets on Tuesday, furthering their playoff chances.
The Suns were led by superstar forward Kevin Durant, who recorded a game-high 35 points, eight rebounds and five assists on 41.2% shooting. Meanwhile, shooting guard Grayson Allen added 28 points and eight 3s on 60.0% shooting as Phoenix snapped its two-game losing streak.
Despite their impressive road victory, the Suns are not out of the woods yet. Another losing streak could quickly drop them into play-in position in the crowded Western Conference.
On that note, below is a brief snapshot of where Phoenix stands in the West playoff picture with 20 games remaining.
Phoenix Suns Playoff Picture: Standings
Following Tuesday’s victory over Denver, Phoenix (36-26) is sixth in the West, just 1.0 game ahead of the seventh-seeded Sacramento Kings (34-26).
Furthermore, they only have a 3.0-game advantage over the 10th-placed Golden State Warriors (32-28). However, barring any major injuries, they are virtually guaranteed at least a play-in berth. They sit 8.0 games above the 11th-placed Utah Jazz (28-34).
As for the Suns’ chances of moving up the West standings, they trail the fifth-seeded New Orleans Pelicans (37-25) by just 1.0 game. However, they are 4.0 games behind the fourth-seeded LA Clippers (39-21), making it unlikely they secure home-court advantage for the first round of the playoffs.
Overall, Phoenix’s placement in the standings could be very fluid over its final 20 games.
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 .570.
15 of Phoenix’s remaining 20 games come against teams above .500. That includes two matchups apiece against the Boston Celtics (48-13) and Minnesota Timberwolves (43-19), the league’s top two teams.
Meanwhile, 12 of those 20 contests are road games. So, securing a playoff spot won’t be a cakewalk.
Phoenix Suns Playoff Picture: X-factor
The Suns’ playoff chances will likely hinge strongly on the availability of their stars over their last 20 games, as they sorely lack depth.
On Monday, The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported that star shooting guard Devin Booker (right ankle) is expected to be sidelined for the next seven-to-10 days. So, Phoenix will need its role players, like Grayson Allen, to continue stepping up in his absence.
However, another injury to Kevin Durant or his oft-injured co-star Bradley Beal could prove to be detrimental to the Suns’ playoff hopes.
Guess the Lakers players!
