Phoenix Suns Embark on Significant Week
The Phoenix Suns are in for a hectic week on the road.
Phoenix’s first game is on Wednesday against the Charlotte Hornets, and the entire basketball world will be tuning in when Kevin Durant possibly makes his Suns debut.
Durant was traded to the Suns on Feb. 8, so Suns fans have waited patiently for weeks to see Durant on the court; that time is finally about to come. Phoenix is considered by many the favorites to make it out of the Western Conference in the playoffs, and it will be critical for Durant and company to get off on the right foot and truly show why they should be feared come playoff time.
The Suns will be up against a struggling Hornets team on Wednesday that sits as the No. 14 seed in the Eastern Conference with a record of 19-43. This should be an easy win for the Suns - especially if they have Durant.
While Durant may be the main storyline of this game, it will be interesting to see the backcourt matchup between Chris Paul/Devin Booker against the Hornets’ Lamelo Ball and Terry Rozier. Both duos have the ability to take over the game on the offensive end due to their elite scoring and excellent playmaking skills.
On Friday the Suns take on the Chicago Bulls. Despite their below average 27-33 record, the Bulls have a ton of all-star caliber players headlined by DeMar DeRozan, Zach Lavine and Nikola Vucevic. Phoenix may be the superior team at the moment, but with the amount of talent that Chicago has on their roster, they are a threat to play spoiler on any given night.
Phoenix plays the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday, which should be the teams biggest test. The storyline for this matchup is obvious: Durant faces off against his former teammate Kyrie Irving. The duo was supposed to win multiple championships with the Brooklyn Nets but due to injuries and unnecessary drama, the tandem split up without reaching their ultimate goal.
A rivalry that started during last year's playoffs between the Mavericks and Suns now adds a new element. This game on Sunday will have multiple superstars on the floor which is why it will be one of the most entertaining events of the 2022-23 NBA season.
