Is this 2021/22 Suns team the best Suns team ever?

[Saberestar]

Who (realistically) does this team need to be favorites vs GSW, BKN, & MIL?

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Nobody, we are already favorites to win it all. There are no cons on this team just pros.

With Brook Lopez out with a back surgery I think we are already favorites to win it all.

[bwgood77]

Who (realistically) does this team need to be favorites vs GSW, BKN, & MIL?

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Nobody, we are already favorites to win it all. There are no cons on this team just pros.

With Brook Lopez out with a back surgery I think we are already favorites to win it all.

According to 538 we are over any one team, but not over the field. The west is down due to injuries so the road to get there will possibly be easy depending on the return of players and health of Denver, the LAC, the Lakers, etc.

But the toughest will be Utah/GS...now it is important to maintain the #1 seed because the 2/3 seeds will have to play each other and THEN play the 1 seed (assuming they win their rounds) so it would be tough to be the 2 or 3 seed and have to face one of Utah/GS followed by the other one.

Then I won't discount whoever wins the east. Jrue was a huge difference maker. Middleton is tough and Giannis is obviously huge. Jrue really disrupted the Suns forcing turnovers. JaVale would help and if Lopez is out or hobbled that really hurts them because they didn't really start winning into the series until they went really big and we couldn't counter with Saric out...it was Kaminsky or someone like Craig at C.

They may not even make it though. Miami, a healthy Philly, especially if they get a big name for Simmons (even McCollum)..but Kyrie too. Simmons would be a weird fit in Brooklyn since he handles the ball but would really help their D. I would be tempted to play him at C to leave more shooting on the floor.

But those 4 and possibly Atlanta who will go on a run again would all be challenges and perhaps a team like the Bulls, though they may be too inexperienced.

[Slim Charless]

Nobody, we are already favorites to win it all. There are no cons on this team just pros.

With Brook Lopez out with a back surgery I think we are already favorites to win it all.

According to 538 we are over any one team, but not over the field. The west is down due to injuries so the road to get there will possibly be easy depending on the return of players and health of Denver, the LAC, the Lakers, etc.

But the toughest will be Utah/GS...now it is important to maintain the #1 seed because the 2/3 seeds will have to play each other and THEN play the 1 seed (assuming they win their rounds) so it would be tough to be the 2 or 3 seed and have to face one of Utah/GS followed by the other one.

Then I won't discount whoever wins the east. Jrue was a huge difference maker. Middleton is tough and Giannis is obviously huge. Jrue really disrupted the Suns forcing turnovers. JaVale would help and if Lopez is out or hobbled that really hurts them because they didn't really start winning into the series until they went really big and we couldn't counter with Saric out...it was Kaminsky or someone like Craig at C.

They may not even make it though. Miami, a healthy Philly, especially if they get a big name for Simmons (even McCollum)..but Kyrie too. Simmons would be a weird fit in Brooklyn since he handles the ball but would really help their D. I would be tempted to play him at C to leave more shooting on the floor.

But those 4 and possibly Atlanta who will go on a run again would all be challenges and perhaps a team like the Bulls, though they may be too inexperienced.

The NBA's scheduling this yr is dumb. We play Utah on a home/road b2b later this yr. Why could they put switch 1 of those games with a GS game? Instead we play Steph and Draymond 3 times in Dec.

That 2nd Dub game should've been vs the Jazz. League office is stupid.

[bwgood77]

With Brook Lopez out with a back surgery I think we are already favorites to win it all.

According to 538 we are over any one team, but not over the field. The west is down due to injuries so the road to get there will possibly be easy depending on the return of players and health of Denver, the LAC, the Lakers, etc.

But the toughest will be Utah/GS...now it is important to maintain the #1 seed because the 2/3 seeds will have to play each other and THEN play the 1 seed (assuming they win their rounds) so it would be tough to be the 2 or 3 seed and have to face one of Utah/GS followed by the other one.

Then I won't discount whoever wins the east. Jrue was a huge difference maker. Middleton is tough and Giannis is obviously huge. Jrue really disrupted the Suns forcing turnovers. JaVale would help and if Lopez is out or hobbled that really hurts them because they didn't really start winning into the series until they went really big and we couldn't counter with Saric out...it was Kaminsky or someone like Craig at C.

They may not even make it though. Miami, a healthy Philly, especially if they get a big name for Simmons (even McCollum)..but Kyrie too. Simmons would be a weird fit in Brooklyn since he handles the ball but would really help their D. I would be tempted to play him at C to leave more shooting on the floor.

But those 4 and possibly Atlanta who will go on a run again would all be challenges and perhaps a team like the Bulls, though they may be too inexperienced.

The NBA's scheduling this yr is dumb. We play Utah on a home/road b2b later this yr. Why could they put switch 1 of those games with a GS game? Instead we play Steph and Draymond 3 times in Dec.

That 2nd Dub game should've been vs the Jazz. League office is stupid.

They make schedules based around other events in the arenas. It's not always because they want to spread out the opponents. They have done home/road b2bs vs same team for a long time, or what many call home and home (a more proper name for doing what they do now and playing the same team twice at home).

[DoItALL9]

Who (realistically) does this team need to be favorites vs GSW, BKN, & MIL?

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I don't know who were favorites going into the finals last year. I think we were and were up 2-0 winning fairly easily, with a bad game and then 3 close games that could have gone either way after that.

I think the main difference other than Giannis being himself and the main thing was how he uncharacteristically went 17-19 in game 6 from the line in a fairly close game.

But other than Giannis was our playoff inexperience of everyone but Crowder and Paul. No one else had ever even played in a playoff game and we know the Bucks took their lumps in the playoffs.

Brooklyn is tough for anyone if they were at full strength, but Harden doesn't look great any more. The Warriors are tough, and with Klay back if he's reasonably healthy I am not sure you expect anyone to really beat them since you have their main core from the 73 win team and Wiggins/Poole instead of Barnes....no Bogut but Looney is decent and they have pretty good depth. May depend somewhat on their young guys too.

I think a fully healthy Clippers team might be our toughest matchup along with a healthy GS since Kawhi is a beast in the playoffs.

But the Suns core is getting better and Paul's not really getting any worse..in fact last year was his best year in a while. But Shamet/Payne need to get better.

I think if the Suns can get someone like Thad Young in the buyout market it would be huge.

I think I'd agree with basically everything you said here. I really hope Thad Young finds his way to Phoenix.

Phoenix could have probably won any of the Finals games, definitely five of the six. My issue was that in the last four they were slowly losing ground as Giannis seemed to be improving.
Phoenix had to work much harder to get their shots as a unit.

Giannis presumably is still getting better incrementally. Phoenix has a bunch of players who are too obviously but it's hard to catch up with a guy at an MVP level. There should to be a couple alternative plans to counter him this season in defense. (McGee might be it?)
I just don't want to see Phoenix get back to the playoffs/Finals and lose the same exact way.

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[Hitachi77]

We never should have lost game 4 of the finals. Had them on the ropes up 9 in the 4th. After that they could relax as the pressure shifted to us in game 5, and that's the game they shot out of their minds (we did too actually).

But there was a lot of pressure on Ayton that series, we have more bodies to throw at Giannis if that matchup somehow happens again.

[Hitachi77]

According to 538 we are over any one team, but not over the field.

Just want to mention that, other than the mega KD warriors, no one has ever been a favorite over the field this early in the season (at least not in the past 40+ years)

[bwgood77]

Who (realistically) does this team need to be favorites vs GSW, BKN, & MIL?

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I don't know who were favorites going into the finals last year. I think we were and were up 2-0 winning fairly easily, with a bad game and then 3 close games that could have gone either way after that.

I think the main difference other than Giannis being himself and the main thing was how he uncharacteristically went 17-19 in game 6 from the line in a fairly close game.

But other than Giannis was our playoff inexperience of everyone but Crowder and Paul. No one else had ever even played in a playoff game and we know the Bucks took their lumps in the playoffs.

Brooklyn is tough for anyone if they were at full strength, but Harden doesn't look great any more. The Warriors are tough, and with Klay back if he's reasonably healthy I am not sure you expect anyone to really beat them since you have their main core from the 73 win team and Wiggins/Poole instead of Barnes....no Bogut but Looney is decent and they have pretty good depth. May depend somewhat on their young guys too.

I think a fully healthy Clippers team might be our toughest matchup along with a healthy GS since Kawhi is a beast in the playoffs.

But the Suns core is getting better and Paul's not really getting any worse..in fact last year was his best year in a while. But Shamet/Payne need to get better.

I think if the Suns can get someone like Thad Young in the buyout market it would be huge.

I think I'd agree with basically everything you said here. I really hope Thad Young finds his way to Phoenix.

Phoenix could have probably won any of the Finals games, definitely five of the six. My issue was that in the last four they were slowly losing ground as Giannis seemed to be improving.
Phoenix had to work much harder to get their shots as a unit.

Giannis presumably is still getting better incrementally. Phoenix has a bunch of players who are too obviously but it's hard to catch up with a guy at an MVP level. There should to be a couple alternative plans to counter him this season in defense. (McGee might be it?)
I just don't want to see Phoenix get back to the playoffs/Finals and lose the same exact way.

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It always hurt when Ayton sat because he is a solid defender, because Kaminsky or the smaller Craig were out next options, but with the experienced JaVale McGee that gives more size and if they are missing Lopez that is huge. We may have won had we had McGee last year.

As for scoring, I think Bridges and Ayton are gradually becoming more comfortable taking on bigger scoring roles if need be and will continue to do so. Cam Johnson as well.

Jrue's defense is really a big factor in that series, but if CP3 was also dealing with a wrist injury one or both of those factors hurt with a few more turnovers per game than usual...maybe 2 more than usual but that's enough in those close games, even though he shot very well and was our best scorer efficiency wise by far in the finals...over 55% and 52% from 3 and that includes a bad shooting game 3 of like 1/10 or something. That was really is only poor game I think.

But Bridges D is still improving along with Ayton's so to throw them and Crowder at times as well as McGee around the rim at Giannis that helps.

The key is stopping Middleton and Jrue I think...they have also been more banged up. They may get beat before the finals in the east though..you never know. Missing Lopez if they still are will hurt and if they face a pretty healthy Philly, Brooklyn, Miami or Atlanta team, who knows?

Cleveland is slowly coming on too and Mobley is already an elite defender who can guard the perimeter and inside. They have huge size that could match up and be a tough matchup for the Bucks I think too.

They will only get better even with Sexton out with Lauri more comfortable as well as Okoro. Their other bigs and Garland really balling and they have the toughest schedule to date and are still firmly in the race. They could be a first round matchup for the Bucks.

I don't think they'd beat them but could be a longer physical series.

The key for the Suns is hopefully getting the 1 seed. You really don't want to have to face Utah in round 2 and GS in round 3...you'd rather them meet each other in round 2.

Hopefully we can avoid the Lakers in round 1. They looked tough last night with their big 3 gelling and all healthy with THT and Bradley starting. That isn't a bad starting 5 then they have Monk off the bench and maybe someone else emerges or they get someone via buyout.

And if Kawhi comes back along with Murray both those teams could be tough first or even second round opponents. Denver was a WCF team without Porter playing much before they got Gordon so with Murray/Barton/Green/Gordon/Jokic and Morris off the bench that is solid.

Dallas will be tougher too if healthy once Doncic is back in shape. KP getting better too. Luka has missed a number of games but I am not too concerned with them.

The finals are a tall order for anyone though. You usually have to beat at least 3 finals worthy teams. In the west last year we didn't face anyone finals worthy so luck was on our side. If Utah was healthy and knocked out the Clips they would have been or if the hot Mavs knocked out the healthy Clips, who knows, but with AD out along with Kawhi and not facing a healthy Utah we had a pretty good draw even though we may have beaten the Lakers with a healthy AD. No one ever mentions Paul being ineffective in games 2-3 in the Lakers wins because he had that stinger in his arm and couldn't shoot. Those wins were with AD and Paul...Suns would have been better not playing him with one arm but he wanted to play.

[bwgood77]

According to 538 we are over any one team, but not over the field.

Just want to mention that, other than the mega KD warriors, no one has ever been a favorite over the field this early in the season (at least not in the past 40+ years)

No, but I am just saying combining all other teams odds we stll are not an overall favorite against the entire field even if currently we have the best odds over any other team.

I am a bit surpised on ELO ratings we are given the margin of victory differences between us, GS and Utah.

[NapoleonII]

I feel really confident against the Bucks. They were tougher than us last year, which sounds cliche but it's exactly what happened. We folded, got pushed around for every loose ball. They lost quite a bit in PJ Tucker and now Lopez out for the season, and hopefully we got mentally tougher, too.

But it won't matter. Like Kareem has said, Brooklyn is gonna kill them boys.

I have zero doubt that it's gonna be Brooklyn coming out of the East. Kyrie is a bozo but he lives for playoff basketball.

[sunsbg]

Suns still 5th on a betting site I use after Nets, Warriors, Lakers, Bucks so I guess they are a good value to put some cash on winning it all. I don't want to jinx them though.

[Biff]

This team is up there but I still think the 93 Suns and some of the SSOL teams were better. Yes we made the finals but it's also true we benefited from injuries to key players on other teams. The SSOL never had that kind of luck and were usually on the other end of it, with suspensions (Amare and Diaw) and injuries (Joe Johnson and Kurt Thomas). Those SSOL teams very easily could have made the finals had they had the kind of luck we had last year. Same with the 93 Suns. Had the Bulls been missing Pippen, we win that series. Hell, had they been missing Horace we win that series.

[bwgood77]

This team is up there but I still think the 93 Suns and some of the SSOL teams were better. Yes we made the finals but it's also true we benefited from injuries to key players on other teams. The SSOL never had that kind of luck and were usually on the other end of it, with suspensions (Amare and Diaw) and injuries (Joe Johnson and Kurt Thomas). Those SSOL teams very easily could have made the finals had they had the kind of luck we had last year. Same with the 93 Suns. Had the Bulls been missing Pippen, we win that series. Hell, had they been missing Horace we win that series.

This applies to 90 and 95 as well. We were VERY close both times...just a couple bounces and/or non injuries, we get to and very likely win finals both times.

In 2007 WCF vs Utah and finals vs CLE would have been a cakewalk (in large part to the #1 seed and juggernaut Mavs being upset by the 8 seeded Warriors in round 1 so we would have had 4 or 5 seed Utah in the Conf finals and CLE was lucky to get to the finals that year and got swept.

2010 we probably don't beat Boston, or it at least would have been very tough.

But those 5 years (90, 93, 95, 05 and 07) were our best teams....any of them would have rolled through the entire west with last year's playoff matchups (probably the 89, 91, 92, 2010 teams too)...maybe 2006 but we struggled every round that year and the Lakers/Clips were not that good.

[Biff]

This team is up there but I still think the 93 Suns and some of the SSOL teams were better. Yes we made the finals but it's also true we benefited from injuries to key players on other teams. The SSOL never had that kind of luck and were usually on the other end of it, with suspensions (Amare and Diaw) and injuries (Joe Johnson and Kurt Thomas). Those SSOL teams very easily could have made the finals had they had the kind of luck we had last year. Same with the 93 Suns. Had the Bulls been missing Pippen, we win that series. Hell, had they been missing Horace we win that series.

This applies to 90 and 95 as well. We were VERY close both times...just a couple bounces and/or non injuries, we get to and very likely win finals both times.

In 2007 WCF vs Utah and finals vs CLE would have been a cakewalk (in large part to the #1 seed and juggernaut Mavs being upset by the 8 seeded Warriors in round 1 so we would have had 4 or 5 seed Utah in the Conf finals and CLE was lucky to get to the finals that year and got swept.

2010 we probably don't beat Boston, or it at least would have been very tough.

But those 5 years (90, 93, 95, 05 and 07) were our best teams....any of them would have rolled through the entire west with last year's playoff matchups (probably the 89, 91, 92, 2010 teams too)...maybe 2006 but we struggled every round that year and the Lakers/Clips were not that good.

I think we had a great chance to win in 2006 had Kurt never gotten injured (I know he came back but never looked as good as he did midseason). Kurt was a good low post defender and Shaq wasn't nearly as good as he once was. Wade would have given us some trouble but less than he gave Dallas. Marion or Bell would have slowed him down more than anyone on the Mavs did. They would have struggled defending the Nash pnr. Had we had Amare AND Kurt, it would have been an easy one for us. Go small with Amare at center and Shaq won't be able to stay on the floor, we'd just PNR him to death.

And you're right, that 89-90 team had a really great shot. That team has the 2nd highest SRS in franchise history, number 1 is the 06-07 team that lost due to suspensions.

Unfortunately for that late 80's Suns team, Chambers declined drastically in one year. Went from 27 a game on 58% TS to 20 on 51%.

[bwgood77]

This team is up there but I still think the 93 Suns and some of the SSOL teams were better. Yes we made the finals but it's also true we benefited from injuries to key players on other teams. The SSOL never had that kind of luck and were usually on the other end of it, with suspensions (Amare and Diaw) and injuries (Joe Johnson and Kurt Thomas). Those SSOL teams very easily could have made the finals had they had the kind of luck we had last year. Same with the 93 Suns. Had the Bulls been missing Pippen, we win that series. Hell, had they been missing Horace we win that series.

This applies to 90 and 95 as well. We were VERY close both times...just a couple bounces and/or non injuries, we get to and very likely win finals both times.

In 2007 WCF vs Utah and finals vs CLE would have been a cakewalk (in large part to the #1 seed and juggernaut Mavs being upset by the 8 seeded Warriors in round 1 so we would have had 4 or 5 seed Utah in the Conf finals and CLE was lucky to get to the finals that year and got swept.

2010 we probably don't beat Boston, or it at least would have been very tough.

But those 5 years (90, 93, 95, 05 and 07) were our best teams....any of them would have rolled through the entire west with last year's playoff matchups (probably the 89, 91, 92, 2010 teams too)...maybe 2006 but we struggled every round that year and the Lakers/Clips were not that good.

I think we had a great chance to win in 2006 had Kurt never gotten injured (I know he came back but never looked as good as he did midseason). Kurt was a good low post defender and Shaq wasn't nearly as good as he once was. Wade would have given us some trouble but less than he gave Dallas. Marion or Bell would have slowed him down more than anyone on the Mavs did. They would have struggled defending the Nash pnr. Had we had Amare AND Kurt, it would have been an easy one for us. Go small with Amare at center and Shaq won't be able to stay on the floor, we'd just PNR him to death.

And you're right, that 89-90 team had a really great shot. That team has the 2nd highest SRS in franchise history, number 1 is the 06-07 team that lost due to suspensions.

Unfortunately for that late 80's Suns team, Chambers declined drastically in one year. Went from 27 a game on 58% TS to 20 on 51%.

One thing regarding that 2006 playoffs was that we kind of lucked out in the seeding. That was before they changed the seeding by record (they had division winners as top 3 regardless of record) but Dallas and SA had by far the two best records (won 60 and 63) and we had the 3rd best at 54 and the Clips won 47.

But we were 2 seed, Clips were 3 seed with 13 fewer wins than Dallas, and Dallas was 4 seed. So while we had a worse record by 6 wins than the Mavs, our 2nd round matchup was against the 47 win Clips while they faced the 63 win Spurs.

They changed the seeding format the next year I believe. But theoretically if seeding was how it should have been, we would have faced the Mavs in round 2 and the Spurs in the conf finals had they both advanced which was probable.

I remember their round 2 matchup game down to the last play in game 7 or something like that, where Manu missed a layup or tip in or something.

The way we played against the Lakers and Clips, I don't know if we could have beaten the Mavs or Spurs even with Thomas. They were already better regular season teams. But perhaps.

People sometimes seem awfully high on that team despite fewer wins and barely winning rounds 1 and 2.

With Amare that year of course it would have been a different story.

[Biff]

This applies to 90 and 95 as well. We were VERY close both times...just a couple bounces and/or non injuries, we get to and very likely win finals both times.

In 2007 WCF vs Utah and finals vs CLE would have been a cakewalk (in large part to the #1 seed and juggernaut Mavs being upset by the 8 seeded Warriors in round 1 so we would have had 4 or 5 seed Utah in the Conf finals and CLE was lucky to get to the finals that year and got swept.

2010 we probably don't beat Boston, or it at least would have been very tough.

But those 5 years (90, 93, 95, 05 and 07) were our best teams....any of them would have rolled through the entire west with last year's playoff matchups (probably the 89, 91, 92, 2010 teams too)...maybe 2006 but we struggled every round that year and the Lakers/Clips were not that good.

I think we had a great chance to win in 2006 had Kurt never gotten injured (I know he came back but never looked as good as he did midseason). Kurt was a good low post defender and Shaq wasn't nearly as good as he once was. Wade would have given us some trouble but less than he gave Dallas. Marion or Bell would have slowed him down more than anyone on the Mavs did. They would have struggled defending the Nash pnr. Had we had Amare AND Kurt, it would have been an easy one for us. Go small with Amare at center and Shaq won't be able to stay on the floor, we'd just PNR him to death.

And you're right, that 89-90 team had a really great shot. That team has the 2nd highest SRS in franchise history, number 1 is the 06-07 team that lost due to suspensions.

Unfortunately for that late 80's Suns team, Chambers declined drastically in one year. Went from 27 a game on 58% TS to 20 on 51%.

One thing regarding that 2006 playoffs was that we kind of lucked out in the seeding. That was before they changed the seeding by record (they had division winners as top 3 regardless of record) but Dallas and SA had by far the two best records (won 60 and 63) and we had the 3rd best at 54 and the Clips won 47.

But we were 2 seed, Clips were 3 seed with 13 fewer wins than Dallas, and Dallas was 4 seed. So while we had a worse record by 6 wins than the Mavs, our 2nd round matchup was against the 47 win Clips while they faced the 63 win Spurs.

They changed the seeding format the next year I believe. But theoretically if seeding was how it should have been, we would have faced the Mavs in round 2 and the Spurs in the conf finals had they both advanced which was probable.

I remember their round 2 matchup game down to the last play in game 7 or something like that, where Manu missed a layup or tip in or something.

The way we played against the Lakers and Clips, I don't know if we could have beaten the Mavs or Spurs even with Thomas. They were already better regular season teams. But perhaps.

People sometimes seem awfully high on that team despite fewer wins and barely winning rounds 1 and 2.

With Amare that year of course it would have been a different story.

Hard to say how things turn out had KT not gotten injured. We were 36-17 when he got injured and we then signed TT and won another 6 in a row, putting us at 42-17. We went 12-11 the rest of the way though and carried that performance into the playoffs. We started the season 5-5 (not surprising given that we were adjusting to a lot of new pieces + playing without Amare). So 17-16 stretch in the beginning/end and a 37-12 stretch sandwiched between that (good for 62ish win pace). We were definitely among the best in the league when we were hitting our stride. We had a good defense AND (of course) a good offense.

Of course MDA's notoriously short rotation played into our fatigue and poor performance late in the season I'm sure.

[bigfoot]

This team is far better than any of the SSOL teams. Watching the Celtics get demolished while missing Booker, Ayton, Kaminsky, and Nader just shows the depth of the players and the strength of the offensive system in the half-court. Defensively this team is just way superior across the board. Amare and Nash were the weak links defensively. Booker is the only questionable defender on the current Suns team and he has really stepped it up. SSOL was predicated on transition buckets. Those fastbreak opportunities disappear against quality defenses and the ability to reliably score in the half-court offense becomes key.

[bwgood77]

This team is far better than any of the SSOL teams. Watching the Celtics get demolished while missing Booker, Ayton, Kaminsky, and Nader just shows the depth of the players and the strength of the offensive system in the half-court. Defensively this team is just way superior across the board. Amare and Nash were the weak links defensively. Booker is the only questionable defender on the current Suns team and he has really stepped it up. SSOL was predicated on transition buckets. Those fastbreak opportunities disappear against quality defenses and the ability to reliably score in the half-court offense becomes key.

Bad thing is the SSOL teams were never completely healthy in the playoffs and had those suspensions, Donaghy, bloody nose down stretch, etc. I don't think we were as strong in the frontcourt offensively at all, even though Paul and Book may be better than Nash and definitely our SG (other than 2005 Joe Johnson who was out in WCF). Book better all around player but JJ killed it that year with efficiency at over 48% from 3 on high volume so our guard offense was elite, even though our guards now are all around better.

So I think they would be an interesting matchup but with more experience I put the other team ahead based on talent. Now CP3 has this extra factor with leadership, great in close games, clutch, etc, that more evens it up.

Then in 2009-10 we had super depth. Bench was better. Dragic better than Payne, Barbosa better than Shamet....frontcourt kind of interesting....Dudley/Lou/Frye vs Nader/Cam/McGee. Dudley better than Nader. Cam better than Lou. McGee and Frye completely different. McGee seems better right now but Frye was good...and often started. I will give edge to McGee...so the benches were even.

Starters...this team probably a tad better. CP3 and Nash close. Book better than Richardson. Hill and Bridges close. Depends on how you look at it. I want to say Hill better/more experienced but Bridges a very important defensive/3 pt shooter/finisher....our best defender and most efficient guy on offense..more in prime than Hill

But Amare WAY better than Crowder...Ayton way better than Lopez.

Does this team beat that 09-10 Lakers team? Their frontcourt so good. Bridges could put the clamps on Kobe, but Kobe could put the on Booker.

This team better but not far better.

And definitely not better than some of the 88-89 through 94-95 teams. Not as good as some of them....maybe better than some. Most of those teams had similar records but some were better than others, especially in playoffs. Those teams seemed more dynamic and tougher physically.

[Slim Charless]

This team is far better than any of the SSOL teams. Watching the Celtics get demolished while missing Booker, Ayton, Kaminsky, and Nader just shows the depth of the players and the strength of the offensive system in the half-court. Defensively this team is just way superior across the board. Amare and Nash were the weak links defensively. Booker is the only questionable defender on the current Suns team and he has really stepped it up. SSOL was predicated on transition buckets. Those fastbreak opportunities disappear against quality defenses and the ability to reliably score in the half-court offense becomes key.

Bad thing is the SSOL teams were never completely healthy in the playoffs and had those suspensions, Donaghy, bloody nose down stretch, etc. I don't think we were as strong in the frontcourt offensively at all, even though Paul and Book may be better than Nash and definitely our SG (other than 2005 Joe Johnson who was out in WCF). Book better all around player but JJ killed it that year with efficiency at over 48% from 3 on high volume so our guard offense was elite, even though our guards now are all around better.

So I think they would be an interesting matchup but with more experience I put the other team ahead based on talent. Now CP3 has this extra factor with leadership, great in close games, clutch, etc, that more evens it up.

Then in 2009-10 we had super depth. Bench was better. Dragic better than Payne, Barbosa better than Shamet....frontcourt kind of interesting....Dudley/Lou/Frye vs Nader/Cam/McGee. Dudley better than Nader. Cam better than Lou. McGee and Frye completely different. McGee seems better right now but Frye was good...and often started. I will give edge to McGee...so the benches were even.

Starters...this team probably a tad better. CP3 and Nash close. Book better than Richardson. Hill and Bridges close. Depends on how you look at it. I want to say Hill better/more experienced but Bridges a very important defensive/3 pt shooter/finisher....our best defender and most efficient guy on offense..more in prime than Hill

But Amare WAY better than Crowder...Ayton way better than Lopez.

Does this team beat that 09-10 Lakers team? Their frontcourt so good. Bridges could put the clamps on Kobe, but Kobe could put the on Booker.

This team better but not far better.

And definitely not better than some of the 88-89 through 94-95 teams. Not as good as some of them....maybe better than some. Most of those teams had similar records but some were better than others, especially in playoffs. Those teams seemed more dynamic and tougher physically.

This Suns team crushes those Barkley teams. You think Joe Kleine and Hot Rod are doing anything to Ayton? Mikal would be unleashed on KJ to make life hell for him and the CamJo/Crowder combo is enough for Charles-as long as Ayton is waiting to clean up when they fail.

Ayton would be the key, like he always seems to be. Need him to light up those crappy bigs we had back then while still being there to get Barkley. Thunder Dan snd rookie Finley isn't stopping Booker and even if does...CP3 works the midrange and bleeds that team to death.

The Nash Suns would offer more imo. These guys beat Sir Charles and KJ easily. 4-1

[bwgood77]

This team is far better than any of the SSOL teams. Watching the Celtics get demolished while missing Booker, Ayton, Kaminsky, and Nader just shows the depth of the players and the strength of the offensive system in the half-court. Defensively this team is just way superior across the board. Amare and Nash were the weak links defensively. Booker is the only questionable defender on the current Suns team and he has really stepped it up. SSOL was predicated on transition buckets. Those fastbreak opportunities disappear against quality defenses and the ability to reliably score in the half-court offense becomes key.

Bad thing is the SSOL teams were never completely healthy in the playoffs and had those suspensions, Donaghy, bloody nose down stretch, etc. I don't think we were as strong in the frontcourt offensively at all, even though Paul and Book may be better than Nash and definitely our SG (other than 2005 Joe Johnson who was out in WCF). Book better all around player but JJ killed it that year with efficiency at over 48% from 3 on high volume so our guard offense was elite, even though our guards now are all around better.

So I think they would be an interesting matchup but with more experience I put the other team ahead based on talent. Now CP3 has this extra factor with leadership, great in close games, clutch, etc, that more evens it up.

Then in 2009-10 we had super depth. Bench was better. Dragic better than Payne, Barbosa better than Shamet....frontcourt kind of interesting....Dudley/Lou/Frye vs Nader/Cam/McGee. Dudley better than Nader. Cam better than Lou. McGee and Frye completely different. McGee seems better right now but Frye was good...and often started. I will give edge to McGee...so the benches were even.

Starters...this team probably a tad better. CP3 and Nash close. Book better than Richardson. Hill and Bridges close. Depends on how you look at it. I want to say Hill better/more experienced but Bridges a very important defensive/3 pt shooter/finisher....our best defender and most efficient guy on offense..more in prime than Hill

But Amare WAY better than Crowder...Ayton way better than Lopez.

Does this team beat that 09-10 Lakers team? Their frontcourt so good. Bridges could put the clamps on Kobe, but Kobe could put the on Booker.

This team better but not far better.

And definitely not better than some of the 88-89 through 94-95 teams. Not as good as some of them....maybe better than some. Most of those teams had similar records but some were better than others, especially in playoffs. Those teams seemed more dynamic and tougher physically.

This Suns team crushes those Barkley teams. You think Joe Kleine and Hot Rod are doing anything to Ayton? Mikal would be unleashed on KJ to make life hell for him and the CamJo/Crowder combo is enough for Charles-as long as Ayton is waiting to clean up when they fail.

Ayton would be the key, like he always seems to be. Need him to light up those crappy bigs we had back then while still being there to get Barkley. Thunder Dan snd rookie Finley isn't stopping Booker and even if does...CP3 works the midrange and bleeds that team to death.

The Nash Suns would offer more imo. These guys beat Sir Charles and KJ easily. 4-1

I don't know..those Suns teams knocked out the Showtime Lakers (better than us), Robinson and the Spurs 3-1 (remember Barkley's shot), and were up on Hakeem 3-1 in 95 and barely lost games 5 and 7 and took them to 7 also in 94.

They were able to play fine against better Cs than Ayton. Those teams were better and deeper than the SSOL teams, Barkley still bodied up bigs with our big, and outrebounded many of them, and we made the WCF 3x in that stretch and lost to eventual champion Houston in the 2nd round twice.