For the Phoenix Suns, this NBA start has been beautiful for them. Besides the recent hiccup, a Kevin Durant injury, this team has been dominant. The Suns are tied for first in the Western Conference with the Golden State Warriors and Oklahoma City Thunder. Not many fans outside of Phoenix were expecting this great of a start for the team. With new additions at point guard and in the coaching staff, they have set themselves up nicely. Now, the Suns have a new obstacle in front of them. The Suns are gearing up to take on Group B in the Emirates NBA Cup. Starting this week, their journey to be the champions begins. Let’s dive in and rank the four opponents the Suns have to compete against.
Presenting West Group B for the #EmiratesNBACup!
Starting November 12, all 30 teams will compete for the NBA Cup with 8 teams advancing out of groups into the knockout rounds, with the semifinals and championship held in Las Vegas, December 14 and 17! pic.twitter.com/oSae661CeB
— NBA (@NBA) July 12, 2024
Ranking the Suns 4 NBA Cup Opponents
4. Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz unfortunately sit in last place in the Western Conference. For their fans, this is deflating. For Suns fans, this is certainly their easiest opponent. The Jazz are a mix of very young talent that has yet to reach its best potential, and some veterans who could help out some contending teams get over the hump. Their best player is Lauri Markkanen, who was rumored to be wanted by the Warriors all off-season. Instead, Markkanen ended up signing a long-term extension with Utah.
With six draft selections in the previous two drafts, this team embraces its youth. This has led to a subpar record and they currently have the worst offensive rating in the NBA. When having a team with different goals for its players, this type of season can develop. The Suns should be able to handle the Jazz easiest out of all these opponents.
3. San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs are more threatening than Utah and everyone knows why. Even if he is not having the season everyone expected he would, Victor Wembanyama is still a spectacle in this league. With the Spurs having some better veterans to fit around Wemby in his second year, it has shown improvements. Chris Paul and Harrison Barnes have helped San Antonio, a team that needed a facilitator and some outside shooting. The Suns have a top record so far in the West though, and even though the Spurs look better than last year, they are outside the playoff picture early on.
For the Suns, they have to worry about the Spurs scoring in the paint. With Wemby going against Jusuf Nurkic, we can already imagine the takes coming from the Suns fans. The Suns on paper are the better team and should take care of a Spurs team who is still young.
2. Oklahoma City Thunder
With OKC, the reason they are high up is the depth they have on this roster. This team is deep; any player who plays for them can create 15 points if needed. That is scary, especially in a league where depth is an issue for some teams. Now for the Suns that is not the case, but it could factor into this contest. The Thunder did just lose Chet Holmgren to a pelvic fracture on Sunday, and he is expected to be out the next eight to 10 weeks. He is a big factor for their team, and with other big man Isaiah Hartenstein also injured, they are missing a lot of size. The Thunder should be running some smaller lineups.
The Suns seem to favor themselves in this matchup now as they can matchup a bit easier. Having three guards in their lineup, this will allow them to space the floor a bit better. The Thunder should matchup well defensively though, as they can mirror that lineup in size. Ultimately it will be a tough test, but if the Suns can use some of that size inside, they could dominate the interior. From there, they could take control of the game controlling the pace and tempo. Unfortunately, Durant will be unable to suit up against his former team.
1. Los Angeles Lakers
Deciding on who would be the top team was difficult. I feel both of these opponents could be the toughest matchup, but I felt this was the best decision. We have already seen the Lakers hand the Suns a loss this season, one in which they were up 20 points at one point. The Suns got the best of the Lakers in their second matchup even with Nurkic getting benched mid game. That is due to Anthony Davis, and his dynamic play as the number one option for the Lakers this year. New head coach JJ Redick had stated that AD would be the guy they play through, and it has been working.
Not only has AD been playing great, but LeBron James keeps proving age is just a number. LeBron, who has back-to-back triple-doubles, is just proving he is superhuman. For this matchup, it is after when Durant will be re-evaluated, so hopefully he will suit up. For the Suns to win this game, it is matching the physicality inside, and shooting lights out of the gym.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I do feel confident in this Suns team in Group B of the NBA Cup. They matchup well against most of their opponents and display the hunger to win since the start of the year. The Jazz and Spurs seem to be the easier opponents while the Thunder and Lakers could give the Suns trouble. I believe they will win the group, and even if they do not, they will set themselves up in contention for a wildcard spot. The NBA Cup was a great addition last year and should continue to bring excitement for fans of the sport.
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