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The Phoenix Suns organisation entered the NBA Finals for the first time since 1993, in what was only the third Finals appearance in franchise history. The veteran power of 'Point God' Chris Paul willed the talented young core to a historic regular season followed by an iconic playoff run.
The Phoenix Suns beat some elite powerhouses in the Los Angeles Lakers, Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Clippers, before bowing to the Milwaukee Bucks in six games eventually.
Led by Coach Monty Williams, this team surpassed all expectations and built an even higher ceiling for its ever-so skilled young lineup.
Entering next season, the Phoenix Suns have now re-signed electric sixth-man Cameron Payne and veteran point guard Chris Paul to long-term deals. On top of that, they have reinforced their paint with decorated big man JaVale McGee.
With expectations sky-high from this high-energy squad, let's pull out three bold predictions from the bag that the Phoenix Suns just might make true.
#1 The Phoenix Suns will make a second consecutive trip to the NBA Finals
In order to downplay the Phoenix Suns' heart and hustle during the 2021 postseason, there might be naysayers pointing out that Anthony Davis and LeBron James were not healthy, and that Kawhi Leonard missed considerable time as well.
But the fact of the matter is, the well-oiled machine in Phoenix was always the better team in every series they played. There were clear flashes of what's to come when this team minus Chris Paul went 8-0 in the bubble, and missed the play-in on a tie-breaker with Memphis.
During the 2021 offseason, the Phoenix Suns front office has managed to retain all their key pieces and add JaVale McGee to solidify their inside game. Not only has McGee posted the second best rim-protection mark last season, he is a far more effective lob-threat near the rim than Kaminsky or Dario Saric.
The Suns are a force to be reckoned with, especially citing the unbelievably headstrong talent they possess in Devin Booker, DeAndre Ayton and Cam Payne. Under the stable backcourt and locker-room presence of Chris Paul, this team is going to be a problem in the playoffs, and may very well see the bright lights again this year.
#2 Devin Booker flourishes into a regular-season MVP award finalist
Despite the addition of a ball-dominant point guard to the lineup, Devin Booker managed to average 25.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game, while shooting nearly 49% from the field.
His iso game reached newer zeniths, and defenses had a visibly hard time containing his offensive firepower at numerous occasions.
The 2-time All-Star ranked 3rd in the league (6.5) in pull-up-2 point attempts per game, and shot nearly 55% from inside the arc. Booker and Chris Paul effectively brought back the mid-range in style, and showed the league that the 2-pointer is still lethal.
What sets Devin Booker apart is his tenacity and work ethic to be legendary, as he repeatedly writes on his kicks. The 25-year-old is on the cusp of his prime and being mentored by Monty and CP3 is the ideal scenario.
For him to make the next leap and punch his name amongst the league's elite scorers is only a natural next step.
#3 The Phoenix Suns beat the LA Lakers to the top seed in the Western Conference
The Phoenix Suns gave LeBron James his first ever first-round exit in the playoffs in his 17-season long career. For the regular season, the Suns went from being the 10th seed to the 2nd seed in the Western Conference in just one year.
Call it the Chris Paul effect, Monty Williams' tactics or Devin Booker's breakout year, the Phoenix Suns are here to stay. And their likely rivals in the West this year around would be the heavily stacked LA Lakers. The Purple and Gold will be fitter, stronger and pumped to wipe the wrongs from this past season.
But the Suns are no less.
Last season, the Phoenix Suns had the best record (26-10) when it comes to games played against the 15 teams that eventually ended the season with winning records. The Phoenix Suns ended their regular season campaign with an impressive 51-21 win-loss record, closely behind the surging Utah Jazz.
All the aforementioned facts are just arguments pointing to their regular season consistency.
If that was not enough, they have now signed Abdel Nader who shots 42% from the three-point land and will space the floor as well as facilitate ball movement. All in all, the Phoenix Suns are favourites to lead the West's regular season stnadings.
Guess the Lakers players!
