'%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)
All year, the Phoenix Suns were picked as the team who would represent the Western Conference in the NBA Finals.
Their 64 wins in the regular season were well above the rest of the competition and they looked well on their way to potentially redeeming themselves from falling short of the title.
In a rather shocking turn of events, the Suns' playoff run has come to a premature end. They failed to make it out of the second round as Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks advanced to the Western Conference finals.
Having Game 7 on their home floor, the Phoenix Suns had everything going for them. That was, until the game itself started. Dallas broke out to an early lead and never looked back. By the end, it had gone down as one of the ugliest Game 7 losses in NBA history.
Phoenix never led in the game and at one point found themselves down as many as 46. Following such an underwhelming performance in a big game, FS1's Shannon Sharpe sounded off on the Suns, stating:
"You know the old saying 'you picked the wrong day to have a bad day at the office,' and they picked the worst day to struggle shooting the basketball, and the Mavericks put it all together."
Sharpe was spot-on in his assessment. Nobody on the Suns could get anything going in Game 7. Devin Booker played 37 minutes and shot an abysmal 21.4% from the floor, scoring 11 points on 14 field-goal attempts.
Where do the Phoenix Suns go from here?
After such an ugly exit from the postseason, the Phoenix Suns have to be asking themselves, where do they go from here?
One thing they do have going for them is that most of the core is signed through next season, so running it back won't be too hard. Their biggest decision will be what to do with starting center Deandre Ayton as the former number one pick enters free agency.
While most of the core is young, Chris Paul drastically affects the Suns' window of contention. Now at 37-years-old, one has to wonder how much he can still provide for a team.
The future Hall of Fame point guard did lead the league in assists per game, but has his limitations in other areas. Paul has already stated that he has no intentions of retiring at this moment in time.
Looking ahead, the Western Conference is only going to get better. Phoenix will have to find a way to bounce back if they want another shot at the NBA title.
Guess the Lakers players!
