Suns Involved in Three 'Must-See' Early NBA Matchups
The Phoenix Suns are locked and ready to go for the 2023-24 season, and though "championship or bust" has been the mantra in recent years here in the Valley, recent additions headlined by Bradley Beal make the new and improved version of the squad more exciting than ever.
All eyes will be on Phoenix to see how new head coach Frank Vogel can rally the troops, particularly in the early portion of the season when the players are still sorting through their roles and chemistry.
With the regular season schedule now out, NBA.com's Shaun Powell highlighted ten must-see games early on in the season, three of which featured the Suns:
Suns Involved in Three 'Must-See' Early NBA Matchups
Suns at Warriors (Oct. 24 | 10 ET, TNT)
"The schedule makers either have a sense of humor or a devilish side, or maybe both. Why else would they waste no time in putting Chris Paul and the Suns on the floor together — this time, on separate benches? Paul was unceremoniously dumped for Bradley Beal over the summer and this presents a sneak preview of what’s in store for both players.
"Can Beal burn some decent minutes at the point? How will Paul carve out meaningful minutes in a backcourt with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson? Paul is still pursuing the elusive championship; making an early statement against a strong contender like Phoenix will be a good measuring tool."
Suns at Lakers (Oct. 26 | 10 ET, TNT)
"Trivia question: When was the last time LeBron James and Kevin Durant squared off? How about Christmas Day … back in 2018? Yes, it has been much too long. These all-time greats managed to miss each other mainly because of injuries, and mainly injuries suffered by Durant.
"Finally, the time will arrive (fingers crossed) right before Halloween when hopefully, the basketball world will get a treat instead of being tricked yet again. Last season, after being traded to Phoenix, Durant was supposed to face LeBron on March 22. But that reunion was canceled by an ankle injury suffered during pregame warmups, of all things, a few weeks earlier."
Mavericks at Suns (Dec. 25 | 10:30 ET, ESPN)
"Luka Doncic takes great pleasure in torturing the Suns and Devin Booker in particular — the two have a history, as they say. This is a massive regular-season stage to give to Doncic and offer him the chance to rile up his old friends. Doncic vs. Booker is only the undercard. The main event is Kyrie Irving being on the same floor as Durant, only in different uniforms.
"The ex-teammates faced off back in March for the first time since their Brooklyn breakup, and it delivered by all accounts. So Mavs-Suns makes for good watching long after the presents are unwrapped and the spiced eggnog starts to kick in."
