'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The Phoenix Suns vanquished the Cleveland Cavaliers 122-101 at home on Wednesday, moving into playoff positioning.
The Suns never trailed after taking the lead midway through the first quarter. They stretched their advantage to as high as 28 points before coasting to a 21-point victory.
Superstar shooting guard Devin Booker once again led the way, recording a game-high 40 points, eight assists and five 3-pointers on 52.0% shooting.
Meanwhile, his co-star Kevin Durant added 32 points, six rebounds, seven assists and three 3s on 56.5% shooting, continuing their dominant one-two punch.
As for the Cavaliers, they had three players finish with 20-plus points, led by star shooting guard Donovan Mitchell's 24-point performance. However, it wasn't enough, as Phoenix hit 11 more 3s than Cleveland (18-7).
The Suns' victory marked their sixth in their last eight games, moving them out of play-in positioning in the cramped Western Conference standings. However, they still face a tough pathway to holding on to their playoff spot.
On that note, here’s a snapshot of Phoenix’s standing in the West playoff picture with six games remaining.
Phoenix Suns Playoff Picture: Standings
Following Wednesday's win over Cleveland, the Suns (45-31) improved from eighth to sixth in the West. They are tied with the seventh-seeded New Orleans Pelicans (45-31) but own the tiebreaker, given their 2-0 lead in their season series.
Additionally, Phoenix has a 0.5-game lead over the eighth-seeded Sacramento Kings (44-31) and a 1.5-game advantage over the ninth-placed LA Lakers (44-33). However, the Suns are unlikely to finish lower than ninth, given their 3.5-game edge over the 10th-placed Golden State Warriors (41-34).
Phoenix could also challenge for the fifth seed, as it trails the fifth-seeded Dallas Mavericks (45-30) by just 0.5 games. Meanwhile, it has an outside chance of catching up to the fourth-seeded LA Clippers (47-28), whom it trails by 2.5 games.
Phoenix Suns Playoff Picture: Schedule
Unfortunately for the Suns, they have the NBA’s toughest remaining strength of schedule, with an average opponent winning percentage of .638.
All six of Phoenix's remaining games come against teams situated in the West's top eight. That includes pivotal matchups against the Pelicans, Clippers (twice) and Kings.
So, the Suns will likely need to knock off some high-level opponents to maintain their top-six seed.
Phoenix Suns Playoff Picture: X-factor
While Phoenix has gone 6-2 over its last eight games, it remains overreliant on the heroics of Booker and Durant. Following the superstar duo's 72-point outburst on Wednesday, they're averaging a combined 55.3 points per game over their last eight games.
During that stretch, shooting guard Grayson Allen, who missed Wednesday's contest (hip), ranks third in scoring at 13.7 ppg. Meanwhile, star guard Bradley Beal is fourth at just 10.3 ppg, with no other player averaging double-figures.
Beal was expected to relieve scoring pressure off Booker and Durant in his first season with the Suns. However, he has had his worst scoring campaign (17.4 ppg) since the 2015-16 season.
So, as teams tighten up their defense on Booker and Durant ahead of the playoffs, Phoenix will likely need more production from its complementary players.
