Here is how the Phoenix Suns make the play-in games

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Phoenix Suns, Cam Johnson (Photo by Ashley Landis-Pool/Getty Images) /

The Phoenix Suns need to beat the Dallas Mavericks

The Suns have already beaten the Mavericks once in the bubble, and they’ll have to do it again to have any hope of squeezing into the play-in games. On the upside of the Mavericks beating the Trail Blazers on Thursday, they no longer have a shot at the 6-seed. Since they are locked into 7-spot, does that mean they might rest their starters (especially Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis)?

Hopefully.

But don’t put it past competitors like Luka and KP to play with the idea of exacting revenge on the team that beat them earlier in the bubble and prepare for the playoffs.

Also, this will be Phoenix’s first nationally televised game, as TNT finally got wind of the buzz around the Suns, wised up, and decided it would be best to feature them.

Even if the Suns win, though, they need help, and they’ll have two options in which to get it:

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