3 goals for the Phoenix Suns' Western Conference road trip

1. Have Bradley Beal average 20 points per game

The whole point of adding Beal in the offseason was that the Suns would have the best third option in the entire league. Certainly on the offensive end, although the 16.5 points per game he has averaged is far below the 22 he has produced throughout his career so far.

Beal has scored over 30 points per game twice in his career - and while those days are now gone - he needs to begin to take more of a scoring load on this trip. The 31.7 percent he is averaging from deep so far this season is the second lowest mark of his career, and there is reason to believe that this number is going to improve.

The space he is being afforded next to Durant and Booker is something he has failed to take advantage of so far - but we have seen from his willingness to take these open shots even when they aren't falling - that his luck will eventually change. Bumping this number up even to the 37.1 percent he has managed throughout his career would go a long way to adding to his points tally.

Which is why the 20 points target should be they key to getting over the line in each of these games. The Lakers and Trail Blazers don't have a third option that can come close to Beal's offensive output - and while the Clippers certainly do - Beal is able to heat up on a level few players in the league today can match. Carrying the scoring load more will do his confidence the world of good as well.