Phoenix Suns: How far can this team possibly go in the Orlando Restart?

Who can this team beat?

If we’re being open-minded and optimistic, the Suns can beat any team they face. But obviously, we know the Suns have a challenging schedule, and we have to face the facts here. While the schedule is debatable in terms of its difficulty, the Suns have sure-fire victories against some teams here.

The Washington Wizards, for example, are a team that the Suns face at the beginning of the Orlando restart. This team, who are missing their go-to star, Bradley Beal, are simply not quick or good enough to run with the Suns, let alone any of the other teams in the mix. This really should be a cakewalk for the Suns, and a loss here would call for some alerts. I mean if rookie Rui Hachimura can stomp on your team, you have a major problem.

Another team the Suns can realistically beat is the Dallas Mavericks. The Suns face the Mavericks twice in the Orlando restart, so both matches should be pretty thrilling. Obviously, the Mavericks are a legitimate challenge, but the Suns have beaten them in their two matchups during the regular season. While it doesn’t speak volumes, the Suns are in the same boat as the Mavericks, as they’re heavily inexperienced in these situations.

The Indiana Pacers are also another team the Suns can tackle, with a varying challenge though. The Pacers are one of the most overlooked teams in the NBA, and they’re dangerously well-rounded. But their lack of star power could be the restraining force from whooping the Suns into irrelevancy. Plus, with reports saying Victor Oladipo may be missing the restart, the Suns certainly stand a chance against this powerhouse squad.

Now the rest of the teams that the Suns face, the Philadelphia 76ers, the LA Clippers, the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Miami Heat are just way too high on the pecking order for the Suns to have a serious chance of beating them. These teams are serious threats, even the Clippers are a contending team that the Suns would struggle to keep up within a playoff environment.

Realistically, the Suns can beat maybe half of their schedule, but we can’t rely on projections in the NBA as much as in other sports. Context really ties down how the Suns fare against some of their more lackluster rivals.