Suns Projected to Finish as No. 8 Seed in West

Bleacher Report envisions a healthy Devin Booker helping turn the tide in Phoenix to push the Suns back into the postseason.

The Phoenix Suns are currently sliding down a slippery slope. 

Their win against Golden State on Tuesday provided a glimmer of hope that Phoenix could push through despite a plethora of injuries before Wednesday night's meeting with the Denver Nuggets quickly brought expectations back down to Earth. 

Back under .500 and with just only nine available players in the lineup (Phoenix was missing every starter besides Mikal Bridges), the Suns now hobble to Minnesota to take on the Timberwolves. 

We've hit the halfway point of the season. Phoenix hopes they can retain their healthy starters sooner rather than later while also gaining something of value from a potential Jae Crowder trade. 

Can the Suns stay afloat in the playoff picture amid their current skid? 

Bleacher Report released their latest NBA playoff projections with the Suns barely squeaking in as the No. 8 seed:

The Suns have fallen from first place in the West at the quarter-season mark to seventh now, hurt by injuries to Devin Booker and Chris Paul. Assuming Booker can return later this month (or soon after), we shouldn't be giving up on Phoenix just yet, however," said Greg Swartz.

"Cam Johnson should be nearing his return to the court, and the Suns will almost certainly trade Jae Crowder before the deadline for a rotation-caliber player.

"With so much talent in the West, we're not projecting Phoenix to climb all the way back to the top of the conference, but a healthy Booker and company won't fall all the way out of the playoff picture, either.

"A healthy Suns team would give the Grizzlies an extremely difficult first-round matchup."

B/R's total standings in the West:

1. Memphis

2. Denver 

3. New Orleans 

4. Golden State

5. Dallas 

6. Los Angeles Clippers

7. Sacramento 

8. Phoenix 

As of now, things are rather tight in the Western Conference. Only 5.5 games separate the first seed from the fifth seed. 

Plenty of games rest on the schedule for the Suns to turn things around, yet their starters must get healthy and return to the lineup sooner than later.