The Phoenix Suns have emerged as one of the hottest teams in the NBA after their first 9 games. Fresh off their most recent victory against the Dallas Mavericks on Friday (114-113), the Suns are now first in the West and 8-1 on the season.
The Suns took an early 10-point lead in the first quarter but the two teams were going back and forth all night long with great shooting from various stars. Of course, it was the Suns who stole the show by continuing their red-hot start to the season.
“The Suns are now 7-0 in clutch games this season after going 20-21 last season, translating to a 7-game winning streak and a 8-1 start to the season,” wrote a Suns fan in reaction to the game. “Looking like the superteam they were meant to be.”
In the latest win, Kevin Durant once again led the way with 26 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists on 57.1% shooting. He was +11 in 36:58 minutes and 7-7 from the free-throw line, including the final two shots that sealed the game.
“That Kevin Durant back and forth with Kyrie Irving bombing 3s in the clutch was pure f**king Cinema,” said a fan in a viral post. “Suns 7-0 in the clutch, they have the best clutch player in the NBA in KD.”
In the past, clutch scoring has been a problem for the Suns but they have seemingly overcome their struggles this season to become a well-disciplined and finely-tuned team down the stretch of games.
“Suns went from blowing leads to being the best clutch team in the NBA,” wrote one X user.
On the other side, the Mavericks slid back to 5-4 on the season despite the addition of Klay Thompson. Luka Doncic led all scorers with 30 points (11-25 FG), 7 rebounds, and 7 assists while Kyrie Irving contributed 29 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists on 10-17 shooting. Klay Thompson had 12 points on 30.8% shooting and 4 rebounds.
“That’s 2 losses to this team in 2 weeks. Y’all betta figure this out quick…” warned a displeased fan.
For a team that made the NBA Finals in June, the Mavericks aren’t looking particularly sharp and that’s especially so on defense, where they rank as one of the worst in the NBA. If they want to return to the Finals this season, fans agree that they need to get better on that end of the floor.
“The Mavericks are missing Dereck Lively,” noted a loyal Mavericks fan. “Remember that before letting too many takes rip. But still a pretty miserable game on defense.”
The Western Conference is tougher than it’s ever been and both the Suns and Mavericks will be competing to be the last team standing. Tonig R C ht, and so far this season, the Suns are ahead of the field right now in terms of being a complete championship-level team and it’s exactly the moment that team owner Mat Ishbia has been waiting for.
“This might be the year that Phoenix finally gets an NBA championship,” wrote a fan on X.
Only time will tell if this play is sustainable for the Suns but they certainly have the talent to keep this going for some time. Between the greatness of Kevin Durant, the play of Devin Booker, and a revitalized supporting cast, the Suns are proving nearly unbeatable this season.
But as we’ve seen before, teams can crack during the course of the season or during the NBA playoffs when pressure is highest. Needless to say, the Suns still have a long way to go before they squash anyone’s doubts about their contender status in the West.
Thank you for being a valued reader of Fadeaway World. If you liked this article, please consider following us on Google News. We appreciate your support.
