Suns Fall Further Out of Play-In with Loss to Timberwolves

The Suns will be facing an uphill battle the last eight games of the season.

Mar 28, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) shoots against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the third quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images | Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images

PHOENIX -- The Phoenix Suns don't have much time left to make up lost ground.

After last night's blowout loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Phoenix now sits in the 11th seed in the Western Conference and a full game back of the final play-in spot with a 35-39 record and only eight games remaining in the regular season.

The Dallas Mavericks, who just welcomed back Anthony Davis from injury, are one game ahead of the Suns with a 36-38 record, while the Sacramento Kings are 1.5 games in front with a 36-37 record.

Phoenix owns the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Mavericks, and it would have the tiebreaker over Sacramento if it can win the remaining matchup between the two teams on April 13 due to the Suns having a much better division record (9-5 to 4-10 for Kings), which is the next deciding tiebreaker.

The Kings currently lead the season series 2-1.

With that said, the Suns have to focus on getting back into that position once again.

Phoenix has always faced an uphill climb after a tough stretch in February that continued into March because of their remaining strength of schedule. However, a four-game win streak inspired some hope, but the Suns have now followed that up with two-straight big losses, and this is what they have left on their schedule:

• 3/30: vs Houston Rockets (48-26)

• 4/1: at Milwaukee Bucks (40-33)

• 4/4: at Boston Celtics (54-19)

• 4/6: at New York Knicks (46-27)

• 4/8: vs Golden State Warriors (42-31)

• 4/9: vs Oklahoma City Thunder (61-12)

• 4/11: vs San Antonio Spurs (31-41)

• 4/13: at Sacramento Kings (36-37)

If the Suns are able to get out of this gauntlet and move back into the 9th or 10th seed, they would have to win two play-in matchups, likely against the Kings or Mavericks, and then would play the Thunder, who have already locked up the 1 seed in the West.

Suns superstar Kevin Durant knows the level of urgency Phoenix is facing.

"Time is running out," Durant said after the loss to the Timberwolves (via The Arizona Republic's Duane Rankin). "I don't know what the standings are looking like right now, but not looking for us being out the play-in, but as pros, we've got to come back and work. Figure it out as much as we can. It's part of the job. Looking forward to the next game."

You can read more about the outlook of the Suns in the play-in tournament by clicking here.