After a 1-2 start, the Phoenix Suns (14-3) are the hottest team in the NBA with a 13-game winning streak. They almost caught up with the Golden State Warriors (15-2) atop of the Western Conference, and currently occupy the #2 seed in the West.
The Suns held off the San Antonio Spurs on Monday 115-11 to extend their winning streak to 13 games. Devin Booker scored 23 points, while Deandre Ayton added 21 points and hauled down 14 rebounds in the victory. Cameron Payne added 20 points off the bench.
“I really don’t think about nothing, it’s really just a number,” said Payne said. “Honestly, we just went 1-0 today.”
The Suns are on a mission to prove that last year’s Western Conference title and an appearance in the NBA Finals wasn’t a fluke. Last season, the Suns went 51-21 and posted the second-best record in the NBA during a shortened 72-game season. They also locked up the #2 seed in the Western Conference and took advantage of banged-up opponents to secure a clear path to the NBA Finals, where they inevitably lost to the Milwaukee Bucks.
Turning turmoil into wins
Meanwhile, the media circus continues over billionaire and team owner Robert Sarver and allegations of misogyny, racism, and toxicity. Despite the drama, the Phoenix Suns are laser-focused on what they can control — winning games and ignoring the firestorm brewing around Sarver.
Booker leads the Suns with 22.4 ppg, but it’s a well-balanced scoring attack supported by big man Ayton (16 ppg), Chris Paul (13.9 ppg, 10.3 assists), and Mikal Bridges (13.2 ppg).
“The dynamic of our team, with Ayton being a rim threat and he can play out the pocket also surrounded by a lot of shooters and playmakers,” said Booker. “We have the ability to get good shots every time downcourt.â€
The Suns average 111.8 points per game, which is fourth-best in the league. On defense, the Suns are ranked #9, allowing 104.8 ppg.
Despite shooting 35.8% from 3-point range (ranked #10 overall), the Suns are the second-best shooting team in the NBA at 47.6%. DeAndre Ayton leads all starters, shooting 63% from the floor, but both Bridges and Frank Kaminsky are also shooting above 54%.
On Deck: Cavs, Knicks, Nets
The Suns are four wins away from setting a new franchise record. They’re currently in the middle of a road trip to the East Coast, with games against the Cleveland Cavs (9-9), New York Knicks (10-8), and the Brooklyn Nets (13-5).
If by chance the Suns are able to keep their winning streak alive after a visit to Gotham, they’ll return home to Phoenix to host the Golden State Warriors next Tuesday evening. That should be an exciting matchup between the top two teams in the West.
Betting-wise, the Suns are only 9-8 ATS and are almost fade-worthy at 7-10 in totals wagering.
Despite the winning streak, the Suns are only +1500 odds to win the 2022 NBA championship. They were +1700 odds when the season began last month. The Suns are the fourth-highest team on the futures board to win the Western Conference at +600 odds.