Nov 16, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns bench celebrates on the sidelines in first half of the NBA game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Talking Stick Resort Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports
7th: Phoenix Suns (36 points)
By Tom West
Record: 6-4
Record last week: 2-1
The Suns have been one a few surprises after the first few weeks of the 2015-16 NBA season. First and foremost, it’s their offense (led by their explosive backcourt) that has carried them to a respectable 6-4 start. Their one loss last week was handed to them by the Thunder, so they can be excused for coming up short there. After that, they handedly dealt with the Nuggets 81-105 and the lowly Lakers 101-120. Not the toughest competition around, but the Suns are still winning.
As a matter of fact, they’re winning in pretty good fashion, too. Phoenix are up to 12th in offensive efficiency, and their backcourt duo of Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight has been going off. Bledsoe is 10th in the NBA in scoring with 23 points per game (on 49.7 percent shooting, by the way), and Knight has had two 30-point performances in his last three games alone, with his first career triple double with 30 points, 15 assists and 10 rebounds against the Lakers.
Of course, the Suns have to compete as a whole team, but without Knight and Bledsoe it’s safe to say they probably wouldn’t have six wins right now. If the duo can come anywhere near to maintaining this level of play for a good portion of the season, the Suns have a chance to surprise teams if the likes of the Rockets, Pelicans and Blazers struggle. Well, at least that’s the plan. Once they go cold, that all changes entirely.
When the Suns prove themselves further, as a team who aren’t just off to a solid start and can actually contend for a low seed in the West, they can move up in our NBA rankings.
Next: Utah Jazz