All Eyes Will be on Phoenix Suns This Season
The NBA regular season schedule is officially out, and fans/analysts alike have begun dissecting the 82-game slate (plus the in-season tournament) in circling must-see matchups and piecing together win totals for the 2023-24 season.
The Phoenix Suns - expected to be one of the best teams in the league thanks to a stacked roster - will be featured in 25 nationally televised games according to the official press release of the schedule.
ESPN recently put their best brains together and went through a variety of schedule superlatives, and to no surprise, the Suns were picked for a handful of categories:
Most Intriguing Opening Week Game
Kevin Pelton: Phoenix Suns at Golden State Warriors. The NBA's scheduling department did its best to ensure that Kevin Durant finally plays in front of Warriors fans for the first time since leaving Brooklyn via free agency, having previously played in the Bay Area only during the COVID-19-affected 2020-21 campaign. That this is an important Western Conference preview adds to the excitement.
Most Exciting Christmas Day Game
Andrew Lopez: Let's go with the nightcap of Mavs vs. Suns. Once all the presents have been opened and you're sitting back on your couch and realize there's more NBA to watch, there's this treat to wrap up the day. Luka and Devin Booker. KD and Kyrie. It's easy to see why the league wants to finish off things with a matchup like this that could be ripe for drama.
What Game is Early NBA Finals Preview?
Bobby Marks: Phoenix at New York (Nov. 26). Star power versus roster continuity. Yes, I have penciled in both teams as my early favorites to represent each conference in June. The styles in how the two rosters were built are totally opposite. The high-spending Suns went all-in with the Kevin Durant trade in February and then added Bradley Beal in June. The Knicks, on the other hand, have taken a more conservative approach, returning 13 players that lost to Miami in the second-round while adding only Donte DiVincenzo in free agency.
Jamal Collier: Bucks at Suns (Feb. 6). With a full offseason and regular season to play together, the Suns' overwhelming star power should find a way to develop an identity. And Antetokounmpo and the Bucks have something to prove after their early playoff exit last season.
The Suns were also listed as teams involved in some of the toughest stretches for other squads on the schedule, as Golden State and Los Angeles both will face Phoenix in different parts of the year close to other top teams.
The schedule is officially here and soon basketball activities will begin, though it's clear everybody can' wait to see what the Suns do this season.
