Suns NBA Picks
The Phoenix Suns entered the 2013-14 NBA season as a near-consensus to finish last, or at least near last, in a brutally tough Western Conference. As it turns out, fans and analysts alike couldn’t have been more wrong.
2014-15 Phoenix Suns
Western Conference
2013-14 Record: 48-34 (26-15 @ Home) .585
Odds to win Title: 100/1
Odds to win Conference: 60/1
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Although Phoenix finished on the outside looking in when it came to the playoff race, it also finished with the title of “best non-playoff team” last season. It was a title worth embracing, but it’s also one the team hopes to build upon with an even better 2014-15 campaign.
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Suns Key Losses
Channing Frye – The Suns have lost Channing Frye to free agency, and while that won’t be a catastrophic loss for this young roster, the team does lose a stretch-4 who is coming off a career year.
Now with the Orlando Magic, Frye averaged 11.1 points while shooting 37 percent from downtown last season. His numbers, as well as his veteran leadership, will be missed in the desert, but this team won’t bounce too far back in the rankings with so many young bigs ready to take his place.
Suns Top Newcomers
Isaiah Thomas – Although the Suns are losing a player in Frye who’s coming off a career year, they’re also gaining one in the form of point guard Isaiah Thomas.
Thomas, a former member of the Sacramento Kings, averaged 20.3 points per game last season while shooting 45.3 percent from the field. Even more impressive is that the 5’9″ floor general posted 6.3 assists per game and recorded a PER of 20.54 in the process.
Suns Top Players
Goran Dragic – Goran Dragic has established himself as a near-top-tier point guard in a league that is dominated by the position. He won last season’s Most Improved Player award, and he did it while commanding an offense that eventually became the eighth-most efficient squad by the end of the year, as well as the No. 8 team in terms of pace.
Eric Bledsoe – Eric Bledsoe unexpectedly became one of the biggest mysteries of the summer, as it pertained to free agents. He entered the offseason as supposedly one of the most sought-after guards on the market, yet contract negotiations and a surprising lack of interest leaguewide nearly put a damper on his big summer.
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As it turned out, Bledsoe and the Suns would eventually come to terms. This is a player who has earned the moniker “Mini LeBron” (courtesy of Dragic) for his versatile skill set and physical advantages, and if he can stay healthy, he’ll have a legitimate chance of overtaking Dragic as the leader on the roster.
Suns Strengths
Potential – Although it’s not a typical strength, you can’t ignore this team’s potential. Dragic is seemingly still getting better, Bledsoe has hardly scraped his ceiling and there’s a plethora of young bigs ready to explode all over the frontcourt.
Of the bigs, Miles Plumlee and Alex Len make up the center position. Meanwhile at the forward spots, the Morris brothers are improving, as is P.J. Tucker.
Moving back to the backcourt, you’ve got Gerald Green and even Goran Dragic’s brother, Zoran Dragic. This is a team that should be improved next season, especially considering it has another year under new head coach Jeff Hornacek.
Suns Weaknesses
Experience – As much potential as this roster has, experience is what is lacking when you look at a potential run in the playoffs.
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From the head coach down, there’s virtually no one on this roster with any meaningful NBA experience (although Hornacek’s playing days speak to differ). Getting these guys big wins on the road will be crucial for preparing for a postseason environment, but you have to wonder if management will look to swap potential for proven commodities at any point during the year.
Suns 2014 Betting Prediction
If the Suns were in the East, we’d be looking at them as not a potential playoff squad, but a playoff squad who could potentially fight for home-court advantage. Unfortunately, they don’t have that luxury, which means they’ll be up against a tough set of opponents all year long.
As tough as the competition will be, look for this group to compete for one of the last three spots in the postseason. Getting a top-five seed seems unlikely considering the opponents they’ll face in the process, but six through eight are up for grabs, and there’s no reason Phoenix can’t claim one of those spots as its own.
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