Although the Phoenix Suns were not a part of the Christmas Day festivities around the league, they can be happy with how this season has unfolded for them.
Head coach Jordan Ott is already further along than his two predecessors, while the Suns remain in seventh place in the Western Conference. Better yet, every team below them doesn't look like they are going to rapidly improve anytime soon.
Suns still have one of the hardest remaining schedules in league
Despite a daunting slate through November and December, which does ease up some and gives Phoenix a chance to tack on some more wins, their path to actually doing something this season remains a difficult one.
Right now they have the seventh hardest remaining run of games now that the unofficial opening of the season with Christmas Day has come and gone, although that is down from the third place spot of a few weeks back.
In the Western Conference that number shrinks even more, as the Suns have the fifth toughest run of games. Some good news here however, as the Dallas Mavericks and Golden State Warriors sit above them.
Four-game holiday road trip 🎅 pic.twitter.com/JlhqMtbxrO
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) December 26, 2025
At 12-20 the Mavericks are showing signs of life behind Cooper Flagg, but it is the Warriors (who sit one position behind the Suns) who should be more of concern. They have won three games in a row, even if they've looked creaky and old for much of the season.
They also have a Draymond Green problem that the Suns could one day inherit, which means they are liable to implode at any moment. That won't happen in The Valley, the players are too bought in to what coach Ott is trying to do here.
What also doesn't help is having the second toughest remaining schedule of the Pacific Division, which may not sound like much but does include both the Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers.
Really it is the long road trips that will define the season, and as has been pointed out by eagle-eyed fans on social media, the Suns are yet to venture East of the Mississippi River so far this season.
That will change shortly as they embark on a four game tilt that will take in Washington and Cleveland, with the Suns also having a daunting pair of six game spins away from Phoenix before the campaign is out.
The most likely route for the Suns into the postseason is through the play-in tournament, even with their unexpectedly great 19-16 start. We're about to find out if their up for the challenge of getting there.