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Phoenix Suns Rankings: Which Western Playoff Team To Root For?

By Gerald Bourguet

Mar 9, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (right) reacts alongside Phoenix Suns forward P.J. Tucker at US Airways Center. The Warriors defeated the Suns 98-80. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 9, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (right) reacts alongside Phoenix Suns forward P.J. Tucker at US Airways Center. The Warriors defeated the Suns 98-80. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
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February 2, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Memphis Grizzlies forward Jeff Green (32) celebrates after making a basket while being fouled by Phoenix Suns guard Eric Bledsoe (2) as Suns forward Markieff Morris (11, second from left) and forward Marcus Morris (15, second from right) react during the fourth quarter at US Airways Center. Also pictured is Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph (50, far left) The Grizzlies defeated the Suns 102-101. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

4. Memphis Grizzlies

In Nash’s first season as a Sun, Phoenix met the Memphis Grizzlies for the first and only time in the playoffs, emerging triumphant with a first round sweep. There’s hardly any playoff history between these two teams and the only time they ever met in the postseason, the Suns won.

However, given the recent history between these two teams, it’s impossible to rank them any higher than this. Over the last five seasons, the Suns have an awful 4-12 record against the Grizz, and they’re 0-7 against Memphis since Jeff Hornacek took over as head coach.

So yeah, Suns fans aren’t high on this current Grizzlies core of Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph and Mike Conley, who seem to consistently expose this team’s flaws and beat them up inside. The last time the Suns beat Memphis at home, they needed a Goran Dragic buzzer-beater to do it:

Plus, during last year’s feel-good 2013-14 season, the Grizzlies were the ones that brought everything crashing down when they beat the Suns in US Airways Center to officially eliminate them from playoff contention. Call me crazy, but most Suns fans aren’t on good terms with this team, even if they haven’t met in the playoffs since 2005.

Memphis is probably going to run away with their first round series against Portland, and their gritty play could give the Golden State Warriors problems in the second round. But I don’t know of any Suns fans that will be actively cheering on the Grizzlies in the West.

Next: No. 3

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