Getty Chris Paul and Gregg Popovich
San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich issued a strong statement on the Phoenix Suns on April 5.
The five-time champion told Doug Haller of The Athletic that the Suns have what it takes to win it all this season.
“You know, with Chris (Paul) being the point along with veterans like Book (Devin Booker) and KD (Kevin Durant), they can get it together,” Popovich said. “He’s a great leader. KD and Book know what it takes, Monty (Williams) and his staff do a great job. They would probably like to have a few more games to get a rhythm down, but they can still get it done, without a doubt.”
The Suns are in fourth place in the Western Conference standings with a record of 44-35. They are a perfect 7-0 with Kevin Durant in the lineup.
Kevin Durant Has Been Unreal With the Suns
Durant has been spectacular with the Suns. The two-time champion and two-time Finals MVP is averaging 25.6 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists while shooting an incredible 58.2% from the field, 51.6% from beyond the arc and 85.4% from the free-throw line.
“The numbers, however, still don’t do his total impact justice,” Kellan Olson of ArizonaSports.com wrote on April 5. “He’s been an all-around savant in a few games already, all while the two-way street of both him acclimating to Phoenix’s system and Phoenix’s system acclimating to him unfolds.”
The Suns will be the fourth seed in the Western Conference playoffs. They will face the fifth seed in the first round of the postseason. The Los Angeles Clippers are currently the fifth seed, but the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers can still get that spot with two games left in the regular season.
Olson: The Warriors Are the Suns’ Most Difficult Possible Playoff Matchup in the 1st Round
Olson believes the Warriors are the Suns’ most difficult possible playoff matchup in the first round. Even though the Dubs have been inconsistent all season — especially on the road — they are still the defending champions. Golden State defeated the Boston Celtics in the 2022 NBA Finals.
“Pretty self-explanatory here why Golden State runs away with this category compared to the field,” Olson wrote. “It’s a top-three dynasty in the history of the sport with a few accentuating pieces that have been along for previous rides, like Payton for last year’s championship and Kevon Looney since 2018. The Suns are the better team. But when Phoenix is up 2-1 in the series and has a five-point lead in the fourth quarter on the road, Golden State will both not be fazed and know exactly what it is doing on the floor during those pivotal half-dozen moments that swing a series, locking into a level that brings out title-caliber basketball. Are the Suns capable of achieving that? We’re just going to wait and see.”
A Suns-Warriors playoff matchup would feature a lot of star power: Durant, Devin Booker, Chris Paul, Deandre Ayton, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Jordan Poole and Draymond Green. Phoenix will have home-court advantage in the first round.