Valley of the Suns
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3 thoughts on the Phoenix Suns’ 2023-24 schedule

By Luke Duffy

PORTLAND, OREGON - OCTOBER 21: Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns and Damian Lillard #0 of the Portland Trail Blazers react during the first quarter at Moda Center on October 21, 2022 in Portland, Oregon. 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 Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
PORTLAND, OREGON - OCTOBER 21: Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns and Damian Lillard #0 of the Portland Trail Blazers react during the first quarter at Moda Center on October 21, 2022 in Portland, Oregon. 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 Steph Chambers/Getty Images) /
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Deandre Ayton #22 of the Phoenix Suns
Deandre Ayton of the Phoenix Suns with Myles Turner of the Indiana Pacers. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /

2. Road trip will tell all

There is that one point in every season where each team has to get out on the road for an extended period of time. After having the comforts of home from December 1st through to the 17th (six games), the Suns will head out East in late January.

Prior to six games out that way, the Suns will also travel to face the Dallas Mavericks, in a matchup that is getting spicier by the year. The Eastern road trip will take in the following six teams, with most of them representing a difficult matchup for the Suns for varying reasons.

  • January 26, 2024: at Indiana Pacers (a young and frisky team with some talent)
  • January 28, 2024: at Orlando Magic (an even younger and friskier group)
  • January 29, 2024: at Miami Heat (reigning Eastern Conference champions)
  • January 31, 2024: at Brooklyn Nets (Mikal Bridges revenge game anybody?)
  • February 2, 2024: at Atlanta Hawks (variance of this Hawks team is crazy each night)
  • February 4, 2024: at Washington Wizards (this shouldn’t be too much of a problem)

Teams learn the most about themselves when they’re on the road together. Starting in Dallas and heading down to Florida, then coming back up to face Durant’s former team in the Nets, is not an easy task. This is a group full of veterans though, and they will be well used to such periods over the course of a year.

What will be interesting however is how they gel together on this extended trip. If they lose a couple of games early, will they drop their heads? Worse still, if an injury to a key rotation player happens, how will this roster respond with their backs to the wall on the road? This is a key stretch for the franchise at a pivotal point in the season, that will tell us a lot about them.

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