{"id":2517,"date":"2025-04-04T12:12:29","date_gmt":"2025-04-04T16:12:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.red94.net\/news\/kevin-durants-injury-could-doom-suns-season-whats-next\/"},"modified":"2025-04-04T12:12:31","modified_gmt":"2025-04-04T16:12:31","slug":"kevin-durants-injury-could-doom-suns-season-whats-next","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.red94.net\/news\/kevin-durants-injury-could-doom-suns-season-whats-next\/","title":{"rendered":"Kevin Durant’s Injury Could Doom Suns’ Season: What’s Next?"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n

\n<\/div>\n

\n<\/figure>\n

<\/p>\n

Hello, this is Dan Gartland. It’s impressive to see how committed the fans of the A’s remain, consistently shouting “sell the team” at every stadium they visit.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s highlights in SI:AM:<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Texas overpowers TCU<\/u>
UConn eliminates USC<\/u>
MLB\u2019s first game in Sacramento<\/u><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The Decline of the Phoenix Suns<\/h2>\n

<\/p>\n

Has any NBA team been as underwhelming this season as the Phoenix Suns? Perhaps the Dallas Mavericks come close. However, unlike the Mavericks, who still have a shot at the play-in tournament, the Suns desperately need a miracle to reach the playoffs.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

With a record of 35\u201340, the Suns are one game behind the Sacramento Kings for the 10th spot in the Western Conference. Their already slim playoff hopes took a significant hit when Kevin Durant sustained an ankle injury<\/u> and was sidelined for at least a week.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Durant’s injury couldn’t have come at a worse time, as the Suns are about to embark on a challenging three-game road trip, facing the Milwaukee Bucks, Boston Celtics, and New York Knicks. Without Durant, the Suns, who have a 2\u201311 record, face these formidable opponents. The schedule doesn\u2019t ease up even when they return home, with upcoming games against the Oklahoma City Thunder and Golden State Warriors.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Even if the Suns manage to enter the play-in tournament, it\u2019s hard to imagine them making any significant impact in the playoffs. The attempts by new owner Mat Ishbia and general manager James Jones to assemble a superstar team around Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal have not yielded the expected results. Last season, the Suns finished 49\u201333, ranking sixth in the West, but were swept in the first playoff round by the Minnesota Timberwolves. This led to the dismissal of coach Frank Vogel after just one season, replaced by Mike Budenholzer.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Under Budenholzer, the Suns haven’t fared any better. With only seven games left and a record five games below .500, it would take a miracle to prevent breaking their streak of four consecutive winning seasons. Durant and Booker have been standout performers, ranking sixth and ninth in the league for scoring, respectively, and are the main reasons the Suns have one of the top offenses in the league. However, their defense has been lackluster, ranking 27th in the league, a byproduct of having players like Beal, a noted weak defender, and a 36-year-old Durant.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The Suns\u2019 future prospects are also bleak, as all their first-round picks until 2031 are committed elsewhere due to trades or pick swaps. This severely limits their ability to improve their roster, especially with high salaried contracts for Durant, Booker, and Beal through at least next season. The gamble to trade for Durant and Beal has not paid off, and the situation for the Suns is likely to worsen before it improves.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n<\/canvas>\n<\/source><\/source><\/source>\n<\/picture>\n