Suns' 2022 Squad One of Most Disappointing NBA Teams

PHOENIX -- The Phoenix Suns were so close.

A year after heading to the 2021 NBA Finals, the Suns managed to win a franchise-record 64 games in the regular season ahead of securing the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference Playoffs.

All signs pointed towards the Suns making another deep playoff push - until they didn't.

After taking a 2-0 series lead against the Dallas Mavericks, Phoenix ultimately was pushed to a Game 7 against Dallas at home.

When the dust settled, the Suns suffered one of the most embarrassing defeats in franchise history, and championship expectations fell short once again.

Bleacher Report dubbed those 2022 Suns one of the most disappointing NBA playoff teams of all-time.

"There are blowouts. There are embarrassments. And there is whatever the heck happened to the Phoenix Suns in 2022," wrote David Kenyon.

"Phoenix won an NBA-leading 64 games in the regular season, bounced the New Orleans Pelicans in the opening round and took a 2-0 edge on the Dallas Mavericks in the second round. Even after dropping the next two tilts, Phoenix hammered the Mavs 110-80 in Game 5.

"Everything went haywire from there. Dallas cruised to a 27-point victory in Game 6 and annihilated the Suns in the winner-take-all clash.

"By halftime of Game 7, the Mavericks had built a stunning 57-27 advantage. The lead ballooned to 42 points in the third quarter, peaked at 46 points in the fourth and ended with a humiliating 123-90 loss for Phoenix on its home court."

That would essentially be the beginning of the end for that coveted Suns squad who made the Finals, as prominent names began to trickle out of the organization before Phoenix finds themselves in its current state with Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal leading the charge.

It's unknown if Phoenix can reach their previous heights, though as time passes, the Game 7 loss to Dallas is still discussed as if it happened yesterday.