Phoenix Suns need to find their consistency on this road trip

As the Suns prepare to play the Celtics in Boston, it kicks off one of the last big road trips of the season for Phoenix, and they desperately need road wins.

Last season the Phoenix Suns had the best record in the NBA, and a big part of that was their consistency home and away. Phoenix had identical 32 and nine records home and away last season. This season the Suns have been much better at home, posting a 19 and nine home mark as opposed to eight wins and 17 losses on the road.

The Suns had only 18 total last season, and they already have 17 on the road alone this season and need to turn things around. This road trip is a big one, and Phoenix needs to focus.

Last big road trip for the Suns

There has only been one road trip longer than the five-game journey the Suns will be on for the next week. Phoenix plays five games in eight days, starting tonight in Boston Celtics and ending next Friday in Indianapolis against the Pacers.

This gauntlet includes two back-to-back games, with Phoenix going to Detroit from Beantown and playing Indiana a night after being in Atlanta to face the Hawks. In between is a little trip to Brooklyn to face the Nets, where rumor has it Devin Booker will be back, and who knows where Kyrie will be.

These five games represent as difficult a stretch in the season as the Suns have seen, and winning at least two, if not three, of the games will be critical to staying in the playoff chase. Fans will be hoping Mikal Bridges can maintain his increased level of play and lead the team to a few wins.

Phoenix is on the playoff border/bubble

Phoenix is seventh heading into this road trip and is only a half-game – in the win column – behind Minnesota for sixth, which would avoid the play-in tournament. Unfortunately, Phoenix is only one game -two in the win column – ahead of 11th-place Portland, who will entirely miss the playoffs if the season ends today.

The Suns are closer to the 13th-place Oklahoma City, two games behind Phoenix, than the Suns, are to third-place Sacramento, three and a half games ahead.

Sure, we have not reached the All-Star Game yet, and there is a lot of basketball to be played. However, there are also a LOT of teams jockeying for the same positions, and if the Phoenix Suns are going to make a run in the playoffs, they have to win some games on the road and stay in a position to make it to the competition.