Apr 8, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal (3) reacts during the first half against the Golden State Warriors at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images The Phoenix Suns’ backs are against the wall.
Reaching the Western Conference play-in tournament is a long shot, but now the Suns’ margin for error is gone.
Phoenix enters Wednesday night’s home game against the Oklahoma City Thunder three games behind the Dallas Mavericks for the No. 10 spot in the conference with three games remaining.
Following Wednesday’s game, the Suns will host San Antonio on Friday before closing the regular season in Sacramento on Sunday.
Phoenix (35-44) enters Wednesday’s game on a seven-game losing streak, their longest since December 2019.
“Just got to go win, whatever it takes,” Suns guard Bradley Beal said. “We’ve got three left.”
The latest loss was 133-95 Tuesday to Golden State, a game Beal said was embarrassing.
“We might as well not showed up,” he said after the rout.
Four seasons ago, Phoenix made the NBA Finals after missing the playoffs for 10 consecutive seasons.
After back-to-back second-round losses, the Suns were eliminated in the first round last season and now are likely headed toward missing the playoffs for the first time since 2020.
It’s hard for Phoenix star Devin Booker to wrap his mind around.
“When you have a season this bad, it’s a bunch of things,” Booker said when asked what the most difficult part has been. “So I think the most frustrating part is being that close a few years ago, and now, back to where we are.”
Phoenix has been without Kevin Durant for four consecutive games with a left ankle sprain.
While the Suns are grappling with the reality of dwindling playoff hopes, the Thunder (65-14) continue to look forward to the postseason.
Oklahoma City is coming off a 136-120 home win over the Lakers on Tuesday to split a two-game stretch against Los Angeles and stop the Thunder’s second two-game losing streak of the season.
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said the two recent games against the Lakers will be beneficial for his young team.
“All the things we experienced in these last couple games we are going to experience going into the playoffs,” Daigneault said. “Playing against good teams, we’re going to have times where it’s hard to score. Every team does in the playoffs. There’s going to be times where really good players make really tough shots, there’s really good teams in the playoffs, and we’re going to have to endure together through that.”
Oklahoma City will finish the season with games at Utah and New Orleans — both of which have been eliminated from postseason contention — after taking on the Suns.
Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the leading contender for NBA Most Valuable Player honors this season, said his team can’t afford to let things slip over the final few games even with their status as the top seed in the Western Conference secured.
“We use the regular season to build habits, and building habits over quarters, over games, leads to winning games,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “The more you build those good habits, the more games you win, and that only prepares you for the stage that we’re about to go on.”
The Thunder have won both meetings with the Suns this season, including 140-109 in their most recent matchup, Feb. 5 in Oklahoma City.
–Field Level Media
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