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They've beaten the best and have the best record.

I'd have them as the title favorites as of today.

Though it wouldn't be a dominant favorite. Many years there would be one team that I'd bet against the field at this point and I certainly wouldn't do that with the Suns now.

Biyombo looks like a very good fit

Whilst they’ve been the best team in the regular season, I’d still stop short of calling them favourites for the chip. Just feel like the biggest games are more often then not decided by those generational talent type players (KD, Lebron, Steph, Giannis etc), and unless Booker can make the leap to superstar status, I’d still back a Brooklyn or Milwaukee in a 7 game series.

I'm unsure whether the Suns are the favorites or not. Hence this topic.

But I'm convinced that they own the best balanced lineup. Paul-Booker-Bridges-Crowder-Ayton.

They have no target on offense and defense. All of them can score and defend.

giberish wrote:I'd have them as the title favorites as of today.

Though it wouldn't be a dominant favorite. Many years there would be one team that I'd bet against the field at this point and I certainly wouldn't do that with the Suns now.

So what is the winning probability in percent in your opinion? I d argue everything above 30% should be considered as a heavy favourite while over 50% should be considered as an overwhelming favourite.

Who is in the contender tier anyways?
Phx, Bkn, Mil, Mia, Gsw, Uta?
Outside chances maybe for teams like Lal, Dal, Mem?

Personally i do not see any team cracking even 25%.

Looking only at record, yes they have the best team....but they are way healthier then opponents

I have some tables in my PC. All games played with TOP6 East/West conf teams + LAL. I wrote only TOP5 missed players from both teams.

1 DEN Murray
2 LAL
3 CLE
4 MEM Brooks Ayton
5 DAL Doncic
6 DAL Doncis
7 DEN Jokic Murray Porter
8 CLE Mobley Sexton
9 BKR Irving
10 GSW Klay
11 GSW Klay Booker
12 LAL Davis
13 GSW Klay Wiggs Poole
14 MEM Brooks Ayton Crowder
15 MIA Butler Adebayo
16 DAL Ayton
17 UTA Gobert Mitchell Conley Ayton Crowder
18 UTA Gobert Mitchell Ayton Crowder
19 BKR Durant

They are younger, so have less injuries, also were way luckier with COVID, no rest in b2b (for example Curry/Green were rested 3 time in 3 B2B games).



Now look at record with TOP4 teams from East/West conf

5W - 4L

Wins against UTA w/o Gobert/Mitchell (twice) worth nothing. Wins over GSW,BKN,MEM w/o Klay,Irving,Brooks are ok. They didnt win against healthy TOP8 team. They have only one win against healthy TOP12 team - Dallas!!!

For example other teams records with TOP8 teams

MIA 9W 3L
MIL 6W 3L
GSW 9W 4L
MEM 7W 4L

There are teams with way better records with TOP teams, had way more health problems and played way more games with TOP teams. PHO has the best record, but they arent the best team.

Favorites to win it all are the reigning champions. The Bucks have their big three intact and a nice combination of role players.

The Suns are right there after them...pretty close. I expect a rematch in the Finals.

Suns have the best record in the league, the best record combined over the past two seasons, the best record against .500+ teams both this year and last year and just went to the finals.

And STILL people are claiming they're just lucky because of missing players lol. It's not the Suns' fault they have a well-balanced team that can offset missing players. Suns have missed Ayton for like half the season, and have had plenty of other guys missing - but they've still got a pretty tight stronghold on the top record in the league.

I mean once people unironically start using guys like Klay Thompson, Kyrie Irving, Murray, Porter as reasons to delegitimize wins, you know the arguments against the Suns are starting to get thin.

CP3 is better this year than last year, they cruise most games and push a little and close games easily, they look dominant as hell.

God Squad wrote:They've beaten the best and have the best record.

They were annihilated by Miami at home.

Heathiest team in the league the 2nd year in a row and thats the big thing

They are 1-2 vs the Warriors this season without Klay lol.

They are good, but they havent proven anything, and their besr player is 37 years old. Who knows if he holds up for a playoff run.

Mr Puddles wrote:Suns have the best record in the league, the best record combined over the past two seasons, the best record against .500+ teams both this year and last year and just went to the finals.

And STILL people are claiming they're just lucky because of missing players lol. It's not the Suns' fault they have a well-balanced team that can offset missing players. Suns have missed Ayton for like half the season, and have had plenty of other guys missing - but they've still got a pretty tight stronghold on the top record in the league.

I mean once people unironically start using guys like Klay Thompson, Kyrie Irving, Murray, Porter as reasons to delegitimize wins, you know the arguments against the Suns are starting to get thin.

Yup. The Suns are not the healthiest team in the league. They just don't whine about it as much as everyone else.

joeschmo wrote:

God Squad wrote:They've beaten the best and have the best record.

They were annihilated by Miami at home.

The Warriors lost to the Pacers G-league squad.
The Bulls lots by almost 30 to a depleted heat team
The Heat team lost by 20 to a depleted Nuggets team
The Bucks just lost at home to the Pistons
and I could go on...

It's almost as if teams have a bad game every now and again over the stretch of an 82 game season.

darmani wrote:

Mr Puddles wrote:Suns have the best record in the league, the best record combined over the past two seasons, the best record against .500+ teams both this year and last year and just went to the finals.

And STILL people are claiming they're just lucky because of missing players lol. It's not the Suns' fault they have a well-balanced team that can offset missing players. Suns have missed Ayton for like half the season, and have had plenty of other guys missing - but they've still got a pretty tight stronghold on the top record in the league.

I mean once people unironically start using guys like Klay Thompson, Kyrie Irving, Murray, Porter as reasons to delegitimize wins, you know the arguments against the Suns are starting to get thin.

Yup. The Suns are not the healthiest team in the league. They just don't whine about it as much as everyone else.

Read on Twitter

Who the "F" cares about your team 6 injured centers. You will play max 2 of them if all healthy

Ayton missed 19 games
McGee missed 5 games
Kaminsky missed 38games
Saric missed 47games

add two more Smith and Biyombo

SpreeS wrote:

darmani wrote:

Mr Puddles wrote:Suns have the best record in the league, the best record combined over the past two seasons, the best record against .500+ teams both this year and last year and just went to the finals.

And STILL people are claiming they're just lucky because of missing players lol. It's not the Suns' fault they have a well-balanced team that can offset missing players. Suns have missed Ayton for like half the season, and have had plenty of other guys missing - but they've still got a pretty tight stronghold on the top record in the league.

I mean once people unironically start using guys like Klay Thompson, Kyrie Irving, Murray, Porter as reasons to delegitimize wins, you know the arguments against the Suns are starting to get thin.

Yup. The Suns are not the healthiest team in the league. They just don't whine about it as much as everyone else.

Read on Twitter

Who the "F" cares about your team 6 injured centers. You will play max 2 of them if all healthy

Ayton missed 19 games
McGee missed 5 games
Kaminsky missed 38games
Saric missed 47games

add two more Smith and Biyombo

"the suns have just been lucky that they've been able to play injured teams for the last two years"

suns fans: "uhmnm, we've had our fair share of injuries as well... here have a look at the stats"

"who the "F" cares about your team's injuries!"



Okidoki then...

I’ve got a pretty sizable bet on the Suns representing the western conference again in the NBA Finals and I feel good about it

I don't believe in them in the playoffs. I wouldn't be surprised if they are 2nd round exit.