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The Phoenix Suns picked up a pivotal 124-111 road win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday, inching closer to avoiding the play-in tournament.
The Suns coasted most of the night, gaining an early 24-point first-quarter advantage. They later extended their lead to 27 points midway through the third quarter.
The Pelicans mounted a brief late-game comeback, coming within seven points in the final three minutes. However, Phoenix closed the game on a 9-3 run to secure its 13-point victory.
The Suns were led by superstar shooting guard Devin Booker, who recorded a game-high 52 points, nine assists and eight 3-pointers on 67.9% shooting. His co-star Kevin Durant added 20 points, seven rebounds, two steals and three 3s on 36.8% shooting.
Meanwhile, Phoenix overcame a 30-point performance from New Orleans star forward Zion Williamson.
With their victory, the Suns redeemed themselves following Friday's 128-103 blowout road loss to the OKC Thunder. They also gained a game on the Pelicans amid their quest to secure a top-six seed in the crowded Western Conference. Nonetheless, their road to the playoffs remains challenging.
On that note, here’s a brief snapshot of Phoenix’s standing in the West playoff picture with seven games remaining.
Phoenix Suns Playoff Picture: Standings
Following Monday's win over New Orleans, the Suns (44-31) improved to seventh in the West. They trail the sixth-seeded Pelicans (45-30) and the fifth-seeded Dallas Mavericks (45-29) by just 1.0 and 1.5 games, respectively. However, they are 3.5 games behind the fourth-seeded LA Clippers (47-27), making it unlikely they finish higher than fifth.
Additionally, Phoenix could still fall a few spots in the standings. It leads the eighth-seeded Sacramento Kings (43-31) by just 0.5 games. Meanwhile, it only has a 2.0-game advantage over the ninth-placed LA Lakers (42-33).
Fortunately for the Suns, they shouldn't fall any lower than ninth, as they have a comfortable 3.5-game edge over the 10th-placed Golden State Warriors (40-34).
Phoenix Suns Playoff Picture: Schedule
As for the Suns' rest-of-season outlook, they have the NBA’s toughest remaining strength of schedule, with an average opponent winning percentage of .633.
All seven of Phoenix’s remaining contests come against above-.500 teams, including six matchups against the West's top-eight seeds.
So, the Suns will need more signature victories to avoid slipping in the standings.
Phoenix Suns Playoff Picture: X-factor
Monday's victory marked Phoenix's fifth in its last seven games. Despite its recent success, the team remains overdependent on Booker and Durant.
The superstars have combined to average 52.8 points per game during that stretch. Meanwhile, no other Sun has averaged more than 13.7 ppg, with only two averaging double-figure scoring.
So, the Suns will likely need their supporting cast to step up offensively to relieve pressure off their top two players.
Additionally, they will probably have to lock in defensively, as they rank just 16th in defensive rating (113.0) over their last seven games.
If Phoenix doesn't receive more well-rounded production, its hopes of making a deep playoff run could be short-lived.
