NBA Power Rankings 18: A new top team as the playoffs approach

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Previous: 2nd. Phoenix Suns. 2. team. 66. . 42-17

Last Week: Beat/OT Milwaukee Bucks 128-127, Beat Philadelphia 76ers 116-113, Lost to Boston Celtics 99-86

This Week: 4/25 at Brooklyn Nets, 4/26 at New York Knicks, 4/28 vs. LA Clippers, 4/30 vs. Utah Jazz

After knocking off the Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers on the road this week, the Phoenix Suns were riding high. That makes what happened against the Boston Celtics all the more confusing. Managing just 86 points in a game is befuddling, especially after going off for 128 and 116 against two of the elite defenses in the league.

Long-range shooting certainly failed the Suns to end the week. They attempted 35 3-point shots as a team against Boston and made just six of them. Typical marksmen Cam Johnson and Mikal Bridges combined to go 1-of-15. Nothing went right for the Suns that night and the Celtics were more than capable of taking advantage of the opening.

Do not let this shake belief in the Suns’ chances. They are top-10 in the league in 3-point percentage. Put more weight in the larger sample size that is the whole season instead of one bad game. Phoenix is a real threat to win the NBA championship They are elite on both sides of the ball and have two legit closers in Chris Paul and Devin Booker. The week ahead will be a challenge. If they can split those games the optimism will be overflowing.