The four best playoff performances by Phoenix over the past four postseasons.
For the first time since the 2019-2020 season, the NBA Playoffs are starting without the Phoenix Suns in the party. In their four straight years of making the postseason, the Valley went 27-23 in the playoffs, winning five of the nine series they played. The 27 wins are tied for the fifth-most by any team in that span. Making the Finals in 2021 and then the Western Conference Semifinals the next two seasons. The four years were some of the best in Phoenix Suns history, and throughout the run, there were many great performances.
The Mount Rushmore of Suns’ playoff performances during the four-year run:
Chris Paul’s 41-point masterclass leads the Suns to the Finals
When: Game 6 of the 2021 Western Conference Finals
Opponent: Los Angeles Clippers
Stats: 41 Points, 8 Assists, 4 rebounds, 3 steals on 16/24 from the field and 7/8 from three
Result: Suns won 130-103 and advanced to the NBA Finals
In arguably the Point God’s best game of his career, Paul completely dominated in the second half of Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals. With the Valley absent from the playoffs for the previous 10 seasons, the future Hall of Famer’s scoring eruption in a closeout game was one of the most iconic moments of the Suns’ surprising run to the finals. Almost four years later, he remains the oldest player in NBA history to score 40+ points in a closeout game.
Devin Booker Steps up with CP3 out with Covid
When: Game 1 of the 2021 Western Conference Finals
Opponent: Los Angeles Clippers
Stats: 40 Points, 13 rebounds, 11 assists, and 15/29 from the field
Result: Suns won 120-114, going up 1-0 on the Clippers
Undermanned with Chris Paul out due to Health and Safety Protocols, Devin Booker stole the show in Game 1 against the Clippers with a 40-point triple-double. Down the stretch, Booker dominated alongside his backcourt mate Cameron Payne, who started for Paul. With Phoenix’s starting point guard out, the shooting guard took on more ball-handling responsibilities, and made Los Angeles pay for it with 11 dimes and just two turnovers. The triple-double was the first of his career.
Chris Paul’s Perfect Performance
When: Game 6 of the 2022 of the Western Conference First Round
Opponent: New Orleans Pelicans
Stats: 33 points, 14/14 from the field, 8 assists, and 5 rebounds
Result: Suns won 115-109 and advanced to the Western Conference Semifinals
Setting a record for the most shots made without a miss in a playoff game, the Point God was unstoppable in the closeout game. Many may have missed the game with the NFL Draft on at the same time, but with Devin Booker returning from a three-game absence after a hamstring injury, Paul dominated his former team with precision, patience and elite shot-making. After New Orleans gave Phoenix an unexpected tough first-round matchup, Paul put them away with perfection.
Booker’s Heroics bring Suns back in the Series
When: Game 3 of the 2023 Western Conference Semifinals
Opponent: Denver Nuggets
Stats: 47 points, 9 assists, 6 rebounds, 20/25 from the field and 5/8 from three
Result: Suns win 121-114, Denver now led the series 2-1
Shorthanded with Chris Paul out, Booker’s 47-piece carried the Suns to a Game 3 victory and cut Denver’s lead in the series to 2-1. He and Kevin Durant were the only Suns to score in double digits for the game, and Booker’s efficient shooting outmatched Nikola Jokić’s 30-point, 17-rebound, and 17-assist triple-double. Booker would have another great performance in Game 4 to lead the Suns to a win and tie the series, but Denver rolled Phoenix in the next two games en route to their Finals Victory.
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