What to Watch: Suns Enter Must-Win Time

The Suns play three contests this week - what are some overarching themes to watch?

There's no way to sugarcoat things currently- the Phoenix Suns are perhaps the biggest disappointment in the entire NBA through ten games. 

Whether the slow start has to do with health (Beal has played in three games, Booker 2,) poor fourth quarter performances, or just due to a talented squad needing time to gel much like the 2021 runner-up squad, it's not a good feeling to be in a tenuous position so early. 

The Suns will play three contests in the next several days: tomorrow night at home against the surging Minnesota Timberwolves and two on the road against the Utah Jazz. 

The Timberwolves are playing as good of basketball as anyone right now, and this will be the only time the teams play until the closing weeks of the season in April.

The Suns handled Utah in their first meeting on October 26, but nothing can be taken for granted at the moment for Phoenix. 

What are some resounding themes to watch for going into the week? We will explore three key storylines/areas of interest below:

Big Three Time?

It sure sounds as if we will get our first peak at the Suns big three of Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, and Bradley Beal against Minnesota. 

AZ Central's Duane Rankin broke the news on Tuesday afternoon that Booker is expected to make his return from a five-game absence, while Beal is expected to play his fourth consecutive game despite still dealing with some back discomfort. 

The three got very little run together in the preseason, but if that small sample was any indication at all, the way the three stars fit together won't be a cause for concern. 

The real question is will all three play together in every contest this week? That remains to be seen. All three will be very likely to participate in all three games if healthy, but all three have also dealt with some nagging injuries in the last few years. 

Durant has surprisingly played in every game this season, and Suns fans certainly hope it stays that way, but his recent injury history don't make that hope a slam-dunk belief. 

Here's to hoping the dynamic trio can play several games together and begin to build momentum towards bigger goals.

Suns in Must-Win Situation Friday 

Many pundits and fans claim players won't care about the in-season tournament, but early results from the first set of games say otherwise. Teams are playing hard nearly every possession, and there have been several thrilling finishes, including the Los Angeles Lakers' comeback win against the Suns last Friday night.

That loss puts the Suns' backs against the wall going into contest number two against the Utah Jazz. While the Suns SHOULD win all of their remaining games against Utah, Portland, and Memphis, respectively, they absolutely cannot afford another loss. 

This team might be looking to accomplish bigger goals this season, but having a chance to win the in-season tournament is the absolute perfect opportunity to re-establish the winning culture the fanbase and franchise have become accustomed to. 

NOTE: Phoenix also needs the Lakers to lose two of three to win the group.

Timberwolves Contest a Worthy Test for Both Sides

The aforementioned expected return of Booker to complete the big three couldn't have come at a better time.

The first regular season matchup featuring all three stars will be against none other than the Minnesota Timberwolves- a squad that is currently sporting a 8-2 record, good for third in the West. 

The Wolves are playing some fantastic basketball. The team ranks first in several defensive metrics, locked down the defending champion Denver Nuggets in a recent matchup, and are receiving potential MVP/DPOTY-level contributions from Anthony Edwards/Rudy Gobert. 

This is the perfect time to give the trio of Suns' stars a large test against an extremely stout defense that has also seen improved scoring efforts as of late. 

Don't think this isn't a test for Minnesota however.

The biggest test the defense has faced was the Denver Nuggets, a game which ceded 89 points in. 

While the Nuggets offense is fantastic, they just simply don't have a trio of bucket-getters like the Suns do. This will almost certainly be the biggest test so far for Rudy Gobert, Jaden McDaniels, and co. 

While the result isn't in stone yet, it will almost certainly be a very interesting matchup regardless. Here's to hoping that Suns fans will be treated with both a good game of basketball and the good guys returning to the win column.