It's the last day of March and your Phoenix Suns have just 9 games left in the regular season. I don't want to reminisce too much at this point since we still have 11% of the season left (I can’t seem to get away from doing these dorky calculations now), but this season sure has been fun!
With the great start to the season (winning 16 out of the first 20 games), the Shaquille O’Neal trade and the trials that came with integrating him into the team and now the final end run where the Suns could easily end up anywhere from 1st place to 6th place in the conference, I would consider the 2007-2008 season to be one of the best seasons in recent memory.
This season I wanted to keep track of the numbers and see if I could find any trends that could predict whether the Suns would win or lose a game. Things like:
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The Suns do better when they have more rest between games
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You can almost guarantee a win if the Suns keep their opponents under 100 points (25-2 through March 29th – a 93% winning percentage)
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Phoenix wins 80% of their games when they get 40 rebounds or more (35-9 through March 29th)
The last nine games should be just as exciting as the previous 73 as the Suns head into the home stretch and towards the playoffs. Enjoy the game tonight!
Comments
John Doney - Greenville, SC
My prediction is that if the Suns win 7 out of the last 9 games, they will attain 1st place in the entire western conference. Let's see what happens!
Dan Hilton - Suns.com Newsroom
John-
I think you could be right. The scary thing is we play a lot of really good teams and could easily lose 3 or 4 of them.
If we go with John's prediction, what two games do you guys think we'll lose the rest of the season?
Kevin Burgess - Scottsdale, AZ
I would say we would have our toughest test against SAS on the 9th. We might also loose one of the games to Denver given Hill's recent health issues.
I do think we have a decent chance to run the table and win our remaining games. My prediction is we win the Pacific and end up with the 3 seed.
I predict final seedings will look like this:
New Orleans
San Antonio
Phoenix
L.A. Lakers
Utah
Houston
Denver
Golden State
Go Suns!
Dan Hilton - Suns.com Newsroom
Kevin, if your prediction comes true, it would be an interesting playoffs. We would need to beat Houston and then would be matched up with either San Antonio/Golden State.
Running the table in the remaining games will be very difficult. I don't think it's impossible but we still have to play Denver twice, Dallas, San Antonio and Golden State - all playoff bound teams as of today.
But hopefully your prediction will be correct!
John Doney - Greenville, SC
Dan,
I would love to see the Suns win out the rest of the regular season, but I believe the two games they will lose in the final stretch will be the games at Denver and San Antonio.
larry - palmerston North,NZ
yo, Kevin,
No offence, but if it really goes as you predicted, then we have to play Houston in the first round.....and have to face the winner of Lakers-UTAH series...doesn't exactly sounds like fun for our Suns....i kinda wish that we can kinda clinch the first place in the west and play a team like GS while the Texas teams go destory themselves (best if they got into fights and Tim Duncan got injuried in the process) Then the road to championship will be a hell lot smother :)
Sherdil Rana - Philippines
I predict the Suns will win all their remaining games... They will get the 1st seed, stay hot in the playoffs and finally give Phoenix their well deserved Championship. Amare Stoudemire Finals MVP...
Michael Corleone - Phoenix, Az
The ref's don't buy it....see the road trip....but it's beginning to look like the Basketball Gods are smiling down upon the Suns. I don't know what it is, but I have this feeling that the Suns are going to win it all. I've been a fan since day one. They've been neglected for so long....going all the way back to the flip for Alcindor. Time for the Gods to make amends.
kristel velasquez - philippines
it's been a nice thing watching suns's game! i appreciated what every player does and of course the coaching of D'antoni's brothers. whether suns lose or win i knw that GOD has a purpose in this. we jst need to keep going and give our best in every game! play with fun, play with passion. GO SUNS! ILOVEYOU.
Luke Sjogren - Richmond, VA
Kevin...
I would love for your prediction to come through, as well, but have to point out that two teams from the Pacific and two from the Southwest cannot be in the top 4. Utah would have to be in there, due to the rules, but everything else seems legit.
I, too, hope (and know) we can catch the Lakers and overtake them. We'll have to see what happens, though... Go Suns!
jon reyes - manila, phils
remaining teams the suns will face are all capable of defeating them given the chance. some of these teams are running for spots or positions in the coming playoff. but the suns have proven that they can also do the same to these teams. the suns will be undefeated the remainder of the regular season and be number one in the west. we just have to believe. the suns will rise in phoenix
John S. - Surprise AZ
The win over Denver could very well be the catalyst that sends our Suns into the playoffs with the chemistry as good as it gets. Amare has taken his place as the premier power forward in the NBA. If, and it's still a big if, Nash plays to the level of the Denver game in the playoffs, Hill is 100%, Shaq stays healthy, and Diaw shows a pulse, this team, with a break or two could be in the finals.
Juan C. Puente - Fort Worth, Texas
I'm not a Suns' fan, but I am very intrigued in the NBA, especially the Western Conference right now. I am a Spurs' fan, but last night's game, Suns vs. Nuggets was amazing. I knew it was going to be a great game, but Steve Nash's performance along with Amare's was inspiring to behold. I think the Suns' comeback in the second half was triggered when Steve got slapped in the face with no foul call. Nash got Nashty and put on another MVP performance. So the strategy D' Antoni should use for the remainder of the year is to allow foul calls to go uncalled and let Nash rectify the situation. I sure hope Horry doesn't do anything to cause Nash's transformation when the Spurs play the Suns again.
peter lopez - Paranaque City, Philippines
All blogs point to a playoff sun burst, after the character building win over the Nuggets yesterday & should it continue in Mile high city, a run out is in the works. Barring any injuries, heaven forbid, men in orange couldwll treat us to a memorable playoff run. God bless the Phoenix Suns, somewhere in heaven Coach Cotton is smiling.
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