Their hot start
At the beginning of the season, Phoenix Suns fans were starting to believe that their team was finally reaching their potential. They began the 2019-20 NBA season with a bang, smashing out wins against some formidable teams. Fans were finally witnessing their five-year blueprint come to life.
Within their first ten games of the season, the Suns cracked a 7-4 win/loss record, impressively dismantling some great teams. They began the season with a blow-out victory over the Kings, then scrapped together wins against the LA Clippers, Brooklyn Nets, Memphis Grizzlies and a partially healthy Golden State Warriors team, that included pre-injury Stephen Curry.
Though it was a moment within their hot start that had fans reeling. A moment so impressive that, fans were beginning to have boldly positive predictions for this young Suns team. That moment came when the Suns halted the Philadelphia 76ers‘ dominant start, with a 114-109 win.
The Suns, yes the Suns, managed to stammer and dismantle the 76ers. In an impressive victory, Devin Booker stuffed the score sheet with a 40 point performance, shooting an efficient 15-for-19 from the floor. The Suns also avoided a dominant Al Horford performance, which would be quite rare for him this season.
This performance is a benchmark of brilliance and was a huge turning point for this young roster, nailing a special win against a contender. This was a team that came into the season making poor decisions in the draft and the free agency, so seeing them clobber a team like the 76ers was a relief. It proved that they were the real deal.
Though this performance couldn’t translate for the rest of the season, it was this hot-start that proved so special for their fanbase. It felt realistic for fans to finally rejoice, after a poor five-year run. Though the Phoenix Suns would come back down to earth, it was a well-received moment for fans, who were sick of the hardships and turmoil that came with tanking.
Truly a moment that made NBA fans ponder the future of the Suns team.