Suns Are One of Deepest Teams in NBA
We're slowly approaching the end of the regular season, and the Phoenix Suns are starting to gain some traction,
Riding a three-game winning streak and winners of their last six-of-eight, the Suns are starting to play some of their best basketball at the right time.
That of course is thanks to the insertion of Kevin Durant to the lineup. Durant's performance alone has been worth the price of admission, yet he's managed to elevate his teammates and others around him.
As a result, Phoenix finds themselves again in the conversation of title contenders. Suns fans (who have watched their team swing and miss the last two seasons) all know that a deep team is required to make a run. Phoenix's bench last season failed to deliver, and as a result the Suns were sent packing by the Dallas Mavericks earlier than anticipated.
This time around, things might just be different. The Suns ranked as the No. 7 deepest NBA team by Bleacher Report.
Suns are One of Deepest Teams in NBA
Here's what Grant Hughes offered on Phoenix's position: "Here's the new high-end quartet for the suddenly terrifying Phoenix Suns, a team you might not have expected to see here. But hey, our criteria are tough, and even if you want to ding Phoenix for getting to count Kevin Durant, keep in mind that Mikal Bridges and the plus-1.0 BPM he amassed with the Suns still would have given them five qualified players …
"If you're still hung up on the conventional notion of depth, the Suns are built to give you what you want. Because Phoenix can stagger its pair of superstar scorers, keeping either Durant or Devin Booker on the court at all times, it'll be easier for the eighth and ninth men we're mostly ignoring for this exercise to focus on their niche roles and bring something positive to the table …
"It's hard to avoid thinking that if the Suns' stars had stayed healthier (or, in Durant's case, been on the team all year), they'd have seven or eight qualified players. A rising superstar tide lifts all boats."
Here's how the standings panned out:
7. Phoenix Suns