The NBA released its full schedule last week, finally laying out the blueprints for its 75th annual season. With almost every player who fell victim to the notorious injury bug last year set to return, and several new contenders having formulated over the last few weeks, the 2021-22 season looks likely to go down as one of the best ever.
The Suns enter it with a simple task: defend their Western Conference throne.
Many expect the Los Angeles Lakers to lay siege to it after acquiring Russell Westbrook and Carmelo Anthony this offseason, including Vegas who lists them with the league’s second highest title odds at +400. However, Monty Williams and the Valley Boys have other things in mind.
Phoenix still possesses a roster very similar to last season’s, flooded with youth and game-breaking talent. They retained Chris Paul and Cameron Payne over the summer, while also acquiring the services of JaVale McGee and Landry Shamet.
Locked and loaded, the Suns will no longer look like a layup of a team when their opponents see them on the schedule. But notable hurdles still stand before Phoenix as well.
Some key matchups for the Suns include a Christmas Day date with Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors, as well as their home opener against the Denver Nuggets. But through it all, each game stacks up the same when weighing out final records to determine playoff seeding.
Going from start to finish, here’s a “weather forecast” of their entire 2021-22 season that predicts every single game.