5. What game on the upcoming 8-game home stand are you most looking forward to? Why?
Bourguet: Rockets. It’s smack-dab in the middle of the eight-game home stand, it features the return of an old Phoenix basketball hero in James Harden (a guy who regularly enjoys lighting the Suns up) and it’s a game against a good Western Conference foe that the Suns need to win. It also doesn’t get much more exciting than two teams who love to shoot the lights out from three-point range.
Chasen: I don’t really have one game I’m looking forward to, but there is a two-game stretch I’m really interested in. The Suns will play the Timberwolves and the Lakers one after the other, and I want to see if this team has finally grown up. These two games are going to tell us a lot, seeing as how they are sandwiched between tougher outings, against the Cavaliers (if LeBron plays), Trail Blazers and Rockets. Good teams take care of business. I want to see Phoenix put together two 15+ point victories back-to-back, while getting the young guys some minutes.
Hann: Whether Lebron James is playing or not, the Cleveland Cavaliers present endless intrigue when they roll into town. With Kyrie Irving pushing the pace and shooters surrounding him, this contest is sure to turn into a track meet. In what will likely be a sold-out arena, and the way every Cleveland game is magnified, the Suns have a chance to secure a nice bounce back victory after two hard fought road losses.
Schall: The first game of the year against Portland. These teams are going to play four times over the second half of the year and as two of the best offensive teams in basketball, they should be relatively exciting. Also Damien Lillard going against the Suns three headed monster at point guard can’t be anything but fun. Finally I’m completely in on Brandan Wright if he can do anything to slow down LaMarcus Aldridge.
Harris: The Portland game. I would have said the Cleveland game, but it really does not look like LeBron James will play and the Cavaliers just do not look like the team they were hyped up to be. Portland, on the other hand, currently has the second best record in the whole league and has two of the best players in the league in Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge. It looks like it will be an exciting game between two Western Conference contenders.