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Way too early predictions for the 2018-19 Phoenix Suns

Adam Maynes|
DENVER, CO - JANUARY 03: Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns sets the play against the Denver Nuggets at Pepsi Center on January 3, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Justin Tafoya/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - JANUARY 03: Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns sets the play against the Denver Nuggets at Pepsi Center on January 3, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Justin Tafoya/Getty Images)
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LAS VEGAS, NV – JULY 13: Coach Igor Kokoskov of the Phoenix Suns speaks with his team during the game against the San Antonio Spurs during the 2018 Las Vegas Summer League on July 13, 2018 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV – JULY 13: Coach Igor Kokoskov of the Phoenix Suns speaks with his team during the game against the San Antonio Spurs during the 2018 Las Vegas Summer League on July 13, 2018 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)

Igor Kokoskov

The last Phoenix Suns head coach to win at least 40 games in his first year leading the team was Jeff Hornacek when the Suns won 48 games in 2012-13 but missed the playoffs by one game.

This was also the last time the Suns won at least 40 games in a season.

Oy.

Trying to reach the playoffs will be incredibly tough sledding for the Suns as they now share a Division with two super teams (any team that has LeBron James is a super team, in my opinion, because he counts as two players), and the Western Conference as a whole is insanely deep and tough.

It will take a herculean effort and still a miracle on top of that just to be able to have the honor of being swept by either the Golden State Warriors or Houston Rockets in the first round. Yet it is still something that Suns fans are hoping to have the opportunity to do come 2019.

That said, I am not going to boldly predict the Suns are going to make the playoffs because even though they are improved, they are not that  improved and it is going to be incredibly tough to get to the NBA’s version of the big dance in the Western Conference.

That said, the Phoenix Suns, led by Head Coach Igor Kokoskov’s above average offensive and defensive schemes, will  win at least forty games this season making Igor the first Suns rookie head coach to do so since Hornacek.

I have said it time and time again in the past that the Phoenix Suns have been a better team overall than their records have shown because McDonough was intentionally tanking. Had he not tried to tank then the Suns likely win about 30 games in each of the last two seasons.

With a compliment of players never sitting because of small injuries, and any moves made to help the team win both now and in the future, plus a full offseason, training camp, and preseason with the same (competent) head coach, the Suns are going to win at least 25 games against Western Conference opponents and 15 games against the West (approximately .500 against each), propelling them to 40 wins, and 10th or 11th in the Western Conference.

Bold.

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