Phoenix Suns Featured in Can't-Miss Games This Season

The Phoenix Suns will be featured in plenty of eye-catching games next season.

The Phoenix Suns have plenty of reasons to tune in when they hit the court. 

Whether it be their collective team talent that has seen them play some of the best basketball across the league in the last two years, or individual talents that have propelled ticket sales and overall attention to Phoenix (including some sweet jerseys), the Suns offer plenty to either hardcore or average consumers of the NBA. 

So when the 2022-23 regular season schedule was fully released, there was no surprise to see the Suns included in a total of 34 nationally televised games including key dates such as Christmas and MLK day. 

With 82 regular season meetings, not every matchup is going to be savory. However, Phoenix does indeed find itself in a few "can't miss" games next year. 

ESPN's Can't-Miss Games Including Suns

In ESPN's initial ranking of upcoming games, Phoenix found themselves on the list twice (not nearly close to the Los Angeles Lakers' six or Golden State's five). 

Dallas Mavericks at Phoenix Suns

Oct. 19, 10 p.m. ET | ESPN

"The stench from the Suns' Game 7 home humiliation -- when Luka Doncic matched the entire Phoenix team's scoring total in the first half -- could linger in the desert for a while. But Chris Paul, Devin Booker and Co. won't have to wait long to get a shot at a small measure of revenge, opening the season at home against the Mavs. -- Tim MacMahon"

Phoenix Suns at LA Clippers

Oct. 23, 10 p.m. ET | NBA TV

"The Clippers -- without Kawhi Leonard -- might have been a Valley-Oop away from beating the Suns to make it to the 2021 NBA Finals. We'll potentially get to see what this would look like with both teams at full strength, as the Clippers have passed the Suns as West favorites. -- McMenamin"

Bleacher Report's Can't-Miss Games Including Suns

Bleacher Report included a rematch from last year's postseason meeting between the Suns and New Orleans Pelicans in their top ten games of the season list. 

New Orleans Pelicans at Phoenix Suns

Oct. 28, 10 p.m. ET | ESPN

"Going six games with the New Orleans Pelicans in the first round was ultimately a warning sign for the Phoenix Suns, who unraveled in their subsequent series with the Dallas Mavericks.

"The fallout from that exit threatened to be much worse, with Deandre Ayton ultimately re-signing on a four-year, $133 million extension. But the outlook for the Suns has changed a bit. They went from a franchise set up for long-term success to one that might have already hit its ceiling.

"The New Orleans Pelicans appear to be heading in the opposite direction, perhaps on the precipice of a breakout like Phoenix enjoyed in 2020-21.

"Brandon Ingram continued to play at a level befitting his max contract, and CJ McCollum rolled back the years following his trade to New Orleans. Now imagine what the Pelicans can do with Zion Williamson in the lineup.

"That's obviously a big if, but you can't fault fans for feeling good about where the team is headed."

Dallas Mavericks at Phoenix Suns

Oct. 19, 10 p.m. ET | ESPN

(this was done in a separate article)

"The Phoenix Suns won a whopping 64 games last season. Devin Booker and Chris Paul both made All-NBA teams. Booker was First Team and finished fourth in MVP voting. Before the playoffs started, they had the shortest odds to win the title.

"Then, after winning the first two games of their Western Conference Semifinal against the Dallas Mavericks, they proceeded to get walloped over the remaining five games of the series. In Games 6 and 7 alone, Dallas outscored Phoenix by a combined 60 points.

"Months later, the upset inspired a number of callbacks to pro-Suns takes that surely must be eating at the organization, or at the very least, its fans.

"Phoenix will get its first shot at revenge one night after the season opens. And with the exception of Jalen Brunson (who's now a New York Knick), most of the key players from that series are back.

"If Luka Doncic and Dallas' shooters are still able to spread the Suns out, play Deandre Ayton off the floor and overwhelm the defense with a barrage of threes, early-season opinions on Phoenix won't be kind.

"If they look more mobile and able to counter the Mavs' five-out attack (or Dallas looks overly reliant on big lineups with Christian Wood and JaVale McGee), it'll be easier to bump the Suns back to the title contenders tier."

B/R also gave all the Christmas Day games a bump, including this snippet on the Nuggets-Suns meeting:

"The hopefully healthy Denver Nuggets, led by a two-time reigning MVP, get a national TV showcase to potentially announce their arrival against last season's top regular season team, the Phoenix Suns."

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