The Phoenix Suns have been one of the surprise packages of the NBA season, and there is reason to believe they can keep this excellent start up.
They're winning games against supposedly superior opponents without Jalen Green, while head coach Jordan Ott continues to quietly build a Coach of the Year case.
Suns' schedule about to reach nightmare levels.
Unfortunately that is where the good times end, as Phoenix is about to embark on a tough stretch that won't let up until well into the New Year.
Right now they're sitting on the third hardest remaining schedule for the rest of the season, with the upcoming run of games the ultimate test for this group.
They've got to play the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers a whopping four times each, which accounts for nearly one-fifth of their remaining overall schedule.
Since 2022, teams down 8+ in the final minute of a game were 0-3065 until the Phoenix Suns improbable win last night 😳 pic.twitter.com/pDIPU4iJbM
— Book’em (@dbookownsyou) November 23, 2025
There's also two meetings with the Denver Nuggets and Detroit Pistons, although having the New Orleans Pelicans twice and Sacramento Kings twice provides some balance.
The Suns have also been excellent at beating the teams around them this season that they are supposed to, where the added boost has come from is in victories over the likes of the Minnesota Timberwolves and San Antonio Spurs.
Unfortunately between now and Christmas Day, there aren't a lot of those gimme games on the schedule.
Between now and then Phoenix will face the Rockets, Lakers and Golden State Warriors twice each, while also meeting the Thunder and Nuggets.
In fact the next time they'll face Eastern Conference opposition at all is to close out the calendar year, when they take on the Wizards and Cleveland Cavaliers, both away from home.
Despite this rocky road ahead, the team can take solace in the fact that they've currently got the seventh best defensive rating in the league, giving up just 112 points each night. Just like owner Mat Ishbia envisioned.
The downside to that is the fact they'll be facing several teams who are right there with them, from the league leading Thunder (an absurd 102.8), to the Cavaliers (111.9), Rockets (112.1), Nuggets (112.2) and Warriors (112.2).
This stretch between now and Christmas will define their season, but there's reason to be confident because of how successful this group has been without Jalen Green.
By the time we get to 2026 he may even be back out on the court, and could be the x-factor The Valley needs to push for an unexpected playoff berth.