NBA Power Rankings Week 19: April review and the rising Phoenix Suns

1. Phoenix Suns

Last Week: Lost to Brooklyn Nets 128-119, Beat New York Knicks 118-110, Beat LA Clippers 109-101, Beat Utah Jazz 121-100

This Week: 5/2 at Oklahoma City Thunder, 5/4 at Cleveland Cavaliers, 5/5 at Atlanta Hawks, 5/7 vs. New York Knicks

The Phoenix Suns used the month of April to show anyone who doubted them that they have a legitimate claim as the best team in the league. Just in April, they knocked off the Jazz twice as well as the Bucks, Sixers, Knicks and Clippers. They have climbed to within a half-game of the top seed in the conference and ended an 11-year playoff drought that was the second-longest in the league.

Chris Paul continues to be a quiet assassin, averaging 16.9 points, 8.9 assists, 4.4 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game on shooting splits of .525/.446/.939. He has passed the point in his career where he is going to consistently put up the biggest numbers on his team but he is often the most effective, bending the will of the game to his own and controlling things like few the NBA has ever seen.

Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton have certainly gotten better due to his presence with the team and each dominated in their own role this month. Booker is the go-to scorer that every team needs in the postseason, averaging 25.4 points per game this month. Ayton is a walking double-double, averaging 15.1 points and 10.3 rebounds per game in April. As fun as April was, the best may still be on the horizon for the Phoenix Suns.