Suns’ fate
To argue that the Suns needed to win yesterday would be to understate the obvious. It wasn’t simply that they aimed to avoid the ignominy of a swoon into a play-in berth. It was that they faced the resurgent Pelicans, at sixth one spot above them in West standings. Given the depth in the conference, qualifying outright for the playoffs would be a welcome development, in terms of both avoiding risk and generating confidence. And they certainly need it in light of their middling play of late.
The Suns most definitely harbor title aspirations, an offshoot of the otherworldly talent in their stable. Any roster that has all-time great Kevin Durant on it should expect no less. And since he shares the court with fellow marquee names Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, the projection becomes even more pronounced. Unfortunately, they haven’t exactly been humming with consistency under new head coach Frank Vogel. To be sure, part of their struggles can be traced to a cacophony of injuries that have prevented them from establishing the esprit de corps required of champion teams.
That said, even valid reasons turn into excuses in the face of the Suns’ undeniable firepower. Durant is the best scorer in National Basketball Association history, backstopped by the dynamic Booker and Beal. And, still, they could not do better than sport a 9-7 slate in March, if nothing else a reflection of their marked inability to generate points exactly when needed. For some reason, they’re the worst in the league in fourth quarter scoring — leading casual observers and hoops habitues alike to wonder why.
The Suns certainly have their work cut out for them. All their opponents in the remainder of their regular season schedule have winning records. They face the Pelicans anew, the Timberwolves and Clippers twice, and the Cavaliers and Kings — a veritable Murderer’s Row that figures to test their character. Conventional wisdom has them doing well for as long as they meet potential. But therein lies the rub: They haven’t done so with any semblance of confidence. So will they go up? Or down? Or stay in place? Their fate is theirs to carve.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.