Death, taxes, and the Phoenix Suns winning basketball games. Earning their tenth straight dub last night, the Valley Boys currently represent the league’s hottest team, having forgotten entirely how to lose a basketball game.
The Dallas Mavericks certainly jeopardized this streak for Phoenix though, giving them some trouble even without Luka Doncic. They won the rebounding battle last night, and also sprayed the Suns from deep, shooting 50.0 percent from beyond the arc.
But Phoenix had Devin Booker, who finished with 24 points, and clutched up by hitting a deep triple to ice the game with roughly a minute to play.
Having now extended this string of wins into double digits, Phoenix’s longest streak as a team now lies within reach. With the Steve Nash led Suns earning 17 straight dubs during the 2006-07 season, this squad only needs to win seven more games to tie that franchise record.
Looking ahead at their upcoming schedule, a few larger hurdles stand before the Suns and that achievement. But regardless, they still own a decent shot, with just as many less intimidating opponents slated to play them as well.
Running things back, they first play the Dallas Mavericks this Friday, making for their second game against them in three days. Assuming Doncic remains sidelined for that contest as well, the Suns will surely enter as favorites. Phoenix also just beat the Mavs even with Chris Paul laboring through a 2-12 shooting night. Expect him to improve, and the Suns to win yet again.
After that though, Phoenix runs into their most threatening opponent this month: the Denver Nuggets.
Even without Jamal Murray, the Nuggets find themselves off to a solid 9-5 start. They also knocked the Suns during their season opener, winning by a 110-98 score. However, Phoenix already looks like a much improved team since that game, and if they make it past Denver, their road to history becomes far less rocky.
Moving on, the San Antonio Spurs, Cleveland Cavaliers, and New York Knicks represent Phoenix’s next opponents.
Currently owning the league’s third worst record, the Spurs look certain to give the Suns a free win. Although the Cavaliers look well off having established a winning record already, the Suns also sit on an entirely different tier than them, making for another easy win.
The Knicks might cause some trouble with this game taking place on their home floor, but like the Cavaliers, they simply do not carry enough punch to stick with Phoenix for a full contest. New York also just lost to the Orlando Magic for the second time this season. If a lottery-bound team already owns the Knicks, then the Suns can escape the Garden with what might go down as their 15th straight win.
To tie the record though, the Suns need to run through arguably the league’s top teams right now: the Brooklyn Nets and the Golden State Warriors.
As it stands, both Brooklyn and Golden State sit atop their conference’s standings. But while looking first at Brooklyn, a path through them to yet another victory for the Suns still exists.
Right now, Brooklyn’s biggest issue lies with their nonexistent mobility as a team. Without Kyrie Irving, they struggle to score off the break, playing at an incredibly slow pace. The Suns contradict that though, playing fast right now and with assertiveness. If they contain Kevin Durant and James Harden, while also controlling the game’s pace, there is no reason they cannot steal a win in borough as well.
With Golden State as the only Western Conference team owning more wins than Phoenix right now, it feels poetic to see them possibly standing before the Suns and history. As the most recent team to take down the Warriors, Phoenix might want to follow the Charlotte Hornets’ blueprints should this scenario indeed come into fruition.
Above all else, the Hornets shut down Stephen Curry from deep, holding him to 3-13 on triples. Although easier said than done, the Suns need to try their best to limit Curry’s damage, just like the Hornets did. Watch for Monty Williams to start with Paul on Curry, but later shift Mikal Bridges onto him if needed.
On the other hand though, the Warriors have lacked a true center for years now, setting this game up as a potentially big outing for Deandre Ayton. If the Suns feed their six-foot-eleven beast, and slow down Curry as best they can, they tie their franchise record with 17 straight wins.
If they make it this far, then history is as good as theirs. After Golden State, the Suns face the lowly Detroit Pistons at home, making for their easiest potential win across this entire stretch. As long as nothing crazy happens, the Suns can knock the Pistons too, and break their franchise record with 18 straight victories.
Not easy, but not impossible, this all lies within Phoenix’s reach. This streak has ignited the fan base already, and if the Suns drop their next game or the one after, no reason exists for anyone to feel upset. But at the same time, if Phoenix pulls these next seven or eight wins off, they add phenomenal accomplishment to a season already shaping up to go down as something truly special.