Since their run to the NBA Finals last season, many are still doubting on whether the Suns are the real deal. But early in this 2021/2022 campaign, they have proven to everyone that they are to be taken seriously.
Phoenix are enjoying a 15-game unbeaten run which is the longest active streak in the league, putting them at second place behind the resurgent Golden State Warriors.
Meanwhile, the other perennial playoff contenders in the Bucks and the Nuggets are on rollercoaster rides thus far – primarily due to the injuries sustained by their key players.
The Bucks look to be turning the corner after a lacklustre start with a healthier lineup, but the same can’t be said for the free-falling Nuggets – who are desperate to end their slump.
Read on below as SBOTOP serves you with the latest takeaways from these past few days.
Can anyone freeze the red-hot Suns?
The Suns are the hottest team in the NBA right now besides the Warriors and they’re showing no signs of slowing down given their positive NBA 2021 results.
Phoenix have done it on both ends as they’re the third-best defencive team in the league and they’re seventh on the offencive end.
Devin Booker remains as the Suns’ go-to scorer (23.1 points per game) while Chris Paul (10.4 assists per game) and Deandre Ayton (11.8 rebounds per game) have been their top playmaker and rebounder respectively.
But other than those three, the Suns’ roster upgrade has been evident since they’ve gotten meaningful contributions from their role players in Mikal Bridges, Cameron Payne, JaVale McGee, Cam Johnson, Frank Kaminsky, and Landry Shamet.
After recently winning against the Knicks via a blowout, the Suns are going to stake their streak in a measuring-stick game vs the Nets. Brooklyn are undefeated in their last four following their brutal loss to Golden State not too long ago.
The Bucks are getting their groove back
Milwaukee have moved past the .500 mark and they should be a force to be reckoned with moving forward. From starting their campaign with a 3-4 record, the Bucks are now 12-8 as of this writing.
Health has been the main difference for the defending champs. During their lacklustre start, Jrue Holiday was dealing with a niggling heel knock while Khris Middleton tested positive for COVID-19 and was out for at least 10 days.
With two of their starters out, the Bucks had to rely on their bench to deliver which gave the likes of Grayson Allen, Bobby Portis, and Pat Connaughton opportunities to shine.
Allen gained a ton of confidence and he has earned his spot in the rotation by being one of the Bucks’ main 3-and-D threats. Connaughton brings energy and hustle off the bench, while Portis has cemented his place in the starting lineup to replace the injured Brook Lopez as their designated floor-spacing big.
If there’s one thing that the Bucks have learned during last season’s title run, it is the fact that they cannot simply rely on Giannis Antetokounmpo’s heroics alone.
At this point, the Bucks don’t really need to go all-out to get the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Their main objective is to continue to improve their chemistry while staying healthy all season long.
They are the defending champions for a reason and their NBA 2021 odds of a repeat remain intact.
Injury bug continues to decimate the Nuggets
The Nuggets continue to carry on without several key players but it hasn’t gone too well for them as they’ve lost six consecutive games.
Reigning MVP Nikola Jokic remains out due to a wrist sprain. Jamal Murray is still recovering from his knee injury. Michael Porter Jr’s back problems from his amateur days have re-emerged, and PJ Dozier tore his ACL and is out for an extended time period.
The Nuggets have dropped off during their slump. Denver were the second-best defencive team in the league before, but since then, they’ve become the second-worst group in that department.
Head coach Mike Malone had to rely on the starting lineup of Aaron Gordon, Will Barton, Monte Morris, JaMychal and Jeff Green for the said stretch – which is not exactly playoff contender material.
After hosting the Bucks, the Nuggets have a tough stretch with three of their next four opponents being Eastern Conference playoff contenders. But after that, they have winnable games against the Pelicans and the Spurs (twice). It’s clear that the Nuggets will take all the help and luck that they can get as of the moment. Everyone has to do a little more now to hold it all together until their stars are ready to get back on the floor.
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