Phoenix Suns: 5 Steps To Reaching The Playoffs

Facing a five-year playoff drought — the fourth longest active playoff drought in the NBA — the Phoenix Suns are hell-bent and a little bit desperate to earn a postseason berth in 2015-16. Unfortunately for the young Suns, they play in the brutal Western Conference where reaching the playoffs requires superstar talent, stifling defense, solid health and a little bit of luck.

Phoenix had none of those things last year. Their best player, All-NBA Third Teamer Goran Dragic, was traded away at the deadline. Their defense ranked 17th in the league, they dealt with injuries to Brandon Knight and Alex Len down the stretch of the season and as for luck? Well, losing to five game-winners right before the buzzer made them the unluckiest team in the NBA.

After a summer of change, the Suns are hoping that general manager Ryan McDonough’s tinkering and an offseason of chemistry building is enough to make a difference in 2015-16. For a team still lacking a superstar and sporting Eric Bledsoe as its best player, it will take a collective team effort this year to get Phoenix back to the promised land.

However, even though everyone has been quick to label the New Orleans Pelicans and Utah Jazz as the last two teams who will make the Western Conference playoffs, the Suns are a good team that shouldn’t be overlooked. Here’s a look at the five steps this new and theoretically improved roster needs to take in order to defy the odds and reach the postseason.

Next: No. 5