What Are Realistic Expectations For the Rest Of the Phoenix Suns Season?

What Are Realistic Expectations For the Rest Of the Phoenix Suns Season?

On today’s episode of Locked on suns Kevin Durant said after a disastrous Friday night loss to the shess Thunder hopefully the Suns have a chance to make the postseason with that in mind what on Earth are we even expecting from this team down the stretch I’ll give you my two cents coming up

Next you are locked on suns your daily Phoenix Suns podcast part of the locked on podcast Network your team every Day we are back this is lockon Phoenix Suns we are part of the lockon podcast Network and I’m your host Brendan clean a credential media member covering the Suns for the past seven seasons a writer at Dime magazine the host of the just basketball show wherever you get your

Podcasts and I also create written in video content all about the Suns for the locked on suns Insider Community which you can sign up for at the link in the show description below thank you for making locked on suns your first listen to start off your Monday to start off

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Podcast platform get a new episode in your feed every single Monday through Friday become an every dayer and get locked on to the Phoenix Suns all year long right here with this podcast there’s going to be an announcement coming up later this week on the show very excited for that more content to

Come on the locked on suns insiders which you can sign up for at the link in the show description but I know a lot of people are down right now okay I know that this show comes to you at a weird moment I thought I was going to do a

Bonus episode from what I hoped would be a very competitive potential win for the Suns on Friday afternoon there is another one of those on Monday afternoon against the Pelicans we don’t know what’s coming people are starting to bail I posted a graphic from the just

Basketball show that I do with the Suns placement as I predict it in the Western Conference I had them ninth I get you I feel you I understand Kevin Durant seems to understand by giving the quote of Hope hopefully we have a chance to do something in the

Postseason I believe Bradley Beal said it’s less than ideal or whatever his his exact words were related to this chase that the Suns somehow find themselves in so rather than just adding to the pain or saying the same things we’ve been all tearing our hair out about last Monday I

Kind of set the stage by saying what I thought needed to happen was that Devon Booker needed to step up in a whole variety of ways and I listen listed them all out and I did so that might have been two Mondays ago actually in this case what I’m going to

Do is say what are the expectations for the rest of the season what exactly are we hoping for what do we want to see from this team what do I want to see from this team and I think to answer that question you have to rewind all the way back to the

Beginning of the year right you have to sort of take yourself out of losing to the Spurs without Vic or losing to the thunder without Shay or the bucks without Yannis somehow three of those very similar losses all in the course of a few weeks but really on back to back to back

Weekends that is what we’ve had in March um but go back to October right what did you think this team would be not theoretically what would you think a team with Booker and Beal and Durant could be no that’s not really realistic that can’t be the Benchmark

Right because it it was never that easy or or that straightforward from the beginning the whole entire roster was new the big three did have fit questions a DeAndre Aton trade was a I don’t want to say a bomb dropped because I think people were fairly optimistic about it

But a big change at the last second even before Beal injury the back thing heading into preseason game number three in Palm Springs forget that I don’t even include that let’s say before even the first preseason game what did we think and that feels like what you would

Have to measure this on so I’ll tell you what I thought I never bought the this team has so much talent they’re just going to Blitz their way to 55 60 wins I have a healthy dose of respect for the Denver Nuggets and felt extremely confident

That they were going to be the favorites through most of the Season provided that they stayed healthy again which they have I felt like the Celtics I mean not not to get all the way to the east already but I mean I thought the Celtics were the most talented roster in the NBA

I felt like you know even a team like the Warriors say I was wrong about but I thought they had a a great as good a chance as anybody to finish near the top of the West I expected breakout Seasons from Ant and you know some of these Thunder

Players and everything else okay so I don’t remember I I think I picked the Suns to get the three seed I can’t remember exactly what I had as far as the precise ice win total um I can look up what their over under was heading into the season right here

And it was 52 and a half I’m pretty positive that I took the under I think I had them with 5051 52 somewhere in there so where are they now well let’s say they split the final eight games which maybe that’s that would be an a achievement given the

Murderers Row of teams that they’re facing but look we’ve seen them beat the Pelicans I think that’s a winnable game on Monday night even though New Orleans has been playing well Cleveland is kind of scrambling Sacramento we’ve already seen them beat the Wolves so let’s say they they

Win the next two New Orleans and Cleveland let’s say they win in the last two and they lose four in the middle all right okay sure let’s say that or let’s say even they win the M the the home game against the Pelicans lose the road

Game whatever you think 47 wins would be the the end result there if they were to split them if I picked 50 were’re three games off of that right now given that hypothetical I think I again so three seed I guess I underestimated how big

How how good the top of the West would be how bad the bottom of the West might be so 47 wins even 50 wins wouldn’t get you the three seed 50 wins might not even get you the five seed but the win total is not far off

Let’s say they finish seventh which I’m not fully convinced of okay you know that’s four slots below that’s even two slots below where they were last year but obviously it all comes down to the playoffs so I think if you would have asked me preseason and I would have probably told you that

Anything less than a second round loss was a failure given that the Suns have a long way to go I think we all would have felt a lot differently if to be honest with you even if the health was more of a problem we would have felt better as weird as that might

Sound it would have probably resulted in a worse record and some things like that but the fact that we’ve seen these guys play together and it just hasn’t worked and there have been so many letdowns of games is definitely worse than just flat out losing uh those opportunities they got

The opportunities to play together and they failed them in a lot of cases so that’s disappointing I think if we use that second round Benchmark where that inevitably leads us is this team is underachieved they have a big uphill battle to even get close to breaking even with preseason expectations from a playoff

Standpoint and if they don’t well I don’t think it’s crazy to start imagining a world where big changes come I don’t know what those are but if those are the stakes and those are the expectations they’re up against I mean we’ve been saying this for a while that there has to be a

Switch flip that there has to be an ounce of Pride that that kicks in but considering that it hasn’t happened yet and the desperation should be even higher and those big changes could be the stakes of what’s Happening Here the The Fallout so to speak I think that really puts into

Perspective what we’re watching down the stretch and how pride and giving a you know what more than a win or a loss or seating is what we’re watching for down the stretch of the season and I’ll get into how that might show up and what happens if it doesn’t coming up

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I’ll just get it out of the way right I don’t think it would be a surprise at all for James Jones or Frank vogle to be gone if the team cannot get to that Benchmark of a round a competitive second round which would entail as of where if

You just for to freeze it right now where things stand beating the Sacramento Kings at home in a winner takes all game and then beating one of Minnesota or Oklahoma City without home court advantage in the first round and then likely playing the winner of Denver versus Dallas and going toe-to-toe with those

Teams with which I don’t have to remind anybody are in the Thunder the team that has had Phoenix’s number all season and in Denver and Dallas the two teams that have eliminated them each of the past two rounds so winning a home playin game against maybe the best offense in the

NBA at its peak in Sacramento is only half the battle before you get to some really scary potential matchups that’s the stakes jobs being gone that’s the path and so again it is about Pride I also don’t think it would be a surprise for conversations in the media and among

Fans about trading one of the big three on this team will happen are already happening and will only intensify if those expectations are not met that’s just a fact I’m going to save my thoughts about whether and if and how that all could happen once we’ve seen a lot more play

Out I know we we’re more than 70 games in we have a lot of of sample size here I’m not overlooking that but at the end of the day what happens the next few weeks is going to matter a lot more than what has already happened even though

What’s already happened has been a disappointment but trading one of these three players multiple of these three players will be a conversation now let’s get this out of the way too when we’re talking about a flip a a switch flipping or anything like that Pride there is a possibility as we’ve

Seen with great talented teams that have underachieved and underperformed there is a potential that part of what is standing in the way here is well maybe parts of this team at the coaching level the front office level the ownership level or the player level maybe they some component of that

Hierarchy might not be all that upset if other components of that hierarchy were to be gone you know I don’t have to remind you about 36 unbothered which was posted by dein book Booker amidst the entire coaching staff and most of the roster being on its way out right we

Don’t know specifically what book was referring to maybe it was just hey we felt good about how we played Denver and we’ll be back maybe it had nothing to do with Monty Williams or Chris Paul or anybody I don’t know but that’s a possibility so maybe

The stakes being well you know so and so might lose their job so and so might be traded such and such role player might be on his way out that might not bother certain other people involved here I don’t know I have no way of knowing but

Those are the stakes and that is what is on the line and so but at the end of the day the significance of you know imagine you lose the playin right imagine you fall to nine like I said and it just becomes too much maybe you beat the Warriors or

The rockets in the 910 at home but you have to go on the road to the Lakers and you know we know what LeBron and AD can do in a in an environment like that LeBron has won two playin games in his career already right

So if it’s that and it’s a real real real falling short of expectations then I don’t really think anybody can be quote unquote unbothered I don’t think anybody can feel secure in their situation maybe Durant and Booker you would expect are safe so to speak so long as they want to be here

Still but their role might be up for negotiation their let’s say uh input may not be as valued their perspective may not be listened to quite as much and that can get uncomfortable maybe there’s a new coach and they don’t get a say in who that is maybe there’s you know a a

Trade that happens for anybody on this roster 3 through eight that they don’t get to chime in on and that’s not great right maybe there is somebody brought in who is more of a point guard and and all the people who have been saying that all season get their

Way and suddenly Booker and Durant possession to possession next season don’t get as much control over how things play out over the course of the game I think all of those situations would be undesirable to those two guys as well even if you’re probably not

Going to say Wow we lost in the play and let’s burn it all down that’s unlikely so nothing is Untouchable here in terms of changes if things do not pick up turn around and reach at least a respectable Benchmark in the next few weeks in this month we are now in so

When I say Pride it is saving yourself from embarrassment it is saving yourself from facing ultimatums and facing change against your choosing facing discomfort and the reality is protecting yourself from that hit to Your Ego those undesirable changes that embarrassment I think you know we can talk about matchups all day

But as out as I am on this team as a championship contendor that can turn it around and be four consecutive player playoff rounds good I’m not a Believer there I certainly believe believe that if they give effort on defense consistently cut down the mental mistakes stop overlooking their opponents play deliberate

And smart offensive basketball and show the spirit that they need to they can upset somebody in the first round they can easily win these playing games against even the Lakers even let’s say the Mavs fall I they could beat any of these teams in a playing game they

Can beat Minnesota Oklahoma City in a first round matchup and I think they know that so if you want to avoid the embarrassment and the change that will come with not reaching those it’s on these guys to dig deep and give a you know what because at the end of the day the

Fact that we all know it’s still possible despite the embarrassment that we’ve already seen this team suffer through is exactly what will be motivating Matt ishia when push comes to shove to decide what changes might be necessary after the fact right which is again what I meant when I said the

Injuries would have been more of a protection for a lot of this but the fact that we’ve seen it and if it does fall short well that’s sort of all you need to know and I would not blame mat ispia at that point for going to fairly extreme

Lengths to try to reset this whole thing again that is what these guys are playing for that is what these guys can use as motivation and that’s what we’re all watching for last up there’s an idea out there that the Suns can still quote unquote beat

Anyone I said it a couple times there is it still true first Today’s Show brought to you by Amazon Fire TV Fire TV is your destination for sports from live games to Highlights to in-depth analysis they offer amazing viewing experiences that you can plug into your

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Anybody here’s the deal I still don’t feel good about the thunder or the Clippers matchups I don’t feel good about the Nuggets matchup in the first round to be honest with you I know they’ve beat let let me let me Backtrack on that Denver probably doesn’t belong in the same category as

The Thunder of the Clippers that would just be sort of ignoring reality a little bit I also talked last week about how hey the reason the Suns have beaten the Nuggets a couple times here and and had some impressive performances against them well it’s because they were built

To play them built to beat them and maybe we’ll look back at that as a little bit of a mistake to say hey the only team we’re worried about is the defending Champion maybe they should have been a little more worried about these other types of teams but can’t put the nuggets in

There so when I say hey that you a competitive second round is maybe my benchmark well what happens if you get Oklahoma City in the first round I don’t know to be honest with you I don’t know what I like that is the weird part about this parody moment that

We were that we are in right where you are like let’s use vogel’s last situation right the Lakers end up in 2021 playing the suns in the first round they lose in six Anthony Davis goes down Fogle keeps his job yes they end up making some questionable trades including for

Russell Westbrook but they didn’t look at that as this is a we need to tear this whole thing down right they were coming off of a championship and everything else that’s one example the the Lakers were favored in that series if you remember against the Suns Chris Paul get

Got hurt too just like Anthony Davis did and the suns were first timers in that situation but the fact that the Lakers last of them did not create a whale you know a fire sale vocal keeps his job the Stars stay in place the GM stays in place etc

Etc the suns are kind of would be facing this down a little bit as well what happens if you take the Thunder do six or seven games in the first round the Thunder end up making the Conference Finals and a team you matched up poorly with just had your

Number does that mean you make big changes does that mean the coach and the GM and the you know other Supporting Cast is all put out to dry I don’t know but I will say I don’t think the Suns can beat the Thunder of the Clippers no

Matter what round they play them in no matter who has home court advantage I really don’t care I don’t think that would go well I know the Clippers have been playing poorly lately I don’t care those games were horrible ugly so we will see that match

Up two more times in a row back to back travel back to back Tuesday Wednesday April 9th and 10th that’ll give us some more so I guess you know don’t buy any stock in that immediately but that’s how I feel right now and it would really complicate how

You would have to evaluate this season in the play in the Suns can beat anybody I said that in the last segment I don’t care if it’s Dallas and Luca I don’t care if it’s Sacramento who is giving the Suns a run this year I don’t

Care if it’s LeBron and Anthony Davis I don’t care if it’s Steph Curry the Suns can beat anybody in a winner takes all game at home on the road I don’t care they can we all know that luckily the Thunder and the Clippers aren’t going to

Be in the playhead but I feel decently about the Suns in every single one of those matchups because again we know in a one game environment they can severely overperform or underperform so as badly as I may feel about things if it gets to two weeks from

Now Sunday the final day of the season two weeks from today and I’m recapping Suns uh who do they play the Minnesota Timberwolves at 12:30 local time on the road and we now know okay the suns are playing this team in the playin I will probably say then no matter who it is

The Suns can win this game and I’ll go through all the keys and I will tell you how no matter who it is however Denver Oklahoma City Minnesota the Clippers the top four seeds I’m not going to pick them against so this is the difference right they can beat anybody one

Time I do not think that they have the answers lineup wise depthwise balance-wise IQ wise as a team collectively I don’t think that they have enough of those qualities to make to make it a series against any old team they are going to be matchup dependent they are going to be

Inconsistent and they should be underdogs and they should be looked at as a tier below those top four seats at this point I I think it would be pretty hard to argue otherwise that’ll wrap us up Brandon Dwayne us on Monday recapping Suns Pelicans more content to come on that

Game pregame Keys halftime takeaways postgame takeaways all on the lock on suns Insider feed if they make it competitive I will have a quarter watchback For You video that will be sent directly to lockon Suns insiders where I go through the footage of an entire quarter that F decided the game

And I break down why it decided the game that is exclusive sent directly to you if you are lockon Suns Insider again you can sign up there at join sub tex.com loock onsun or click the link in the show description below enjoy the game hopefully and I will catch you guys later on

Tonight

The Phoenix Suns are fighting for their NBA playoffs lives after multiple letdown losses in March.

Brendon Kleen of @justbasketballfans breaks down what a realistic benchmark is for the Suns this postseason, what the stakes are of any further letdown, and whether the Suns can really “beat anyone.”

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