Look, I do not want to get too ahead of myself here. The Suns are not even guaranteed a playoff series at this point.
What we do know is that they are very likely going to be playing the Clippers or Blazers, and that first game will likely come at home, barring a losing streak.
I will not directly counter all of Holden’s points, which were sound in logic, and I see a case for them individually. No one here is “rooting against” the Suns; it’s about making objective points about the team we watch every game. They have flaws! It’s okay to point them out, as Holden did. Now, I will challenge some of his thoughts and make the case for the Suns to win a playoff series.
Counterpoint 1: Lack of Playoff Experience and Star Power
The Suns have sneaky playoff experience. Not as a team, of course, but individually, some of these guys have already been there plenty of times.
This ultimately depends on who Phoenix plays. The counter I’d make to this point would be that Phoenix’s run to the Finals came with several key performances from players with no playoff experience at all. Sure, they had veteran Chris Paul during that run, but now we can lean on grizzled vet Devin Booker (yes, it still feels weird typing that). The 11-year guard has now appeared in 47 playoff games. Royce O’Neale has him topped by a game with 48 games of playoff experience.
Additional playoff appearances:
Haywood Highsmith — 35
Dillon Brooks — 29
Grayson Allen — 26
Both Jalen Green and Jordan Goodwin got their first taste of playoff basketball last year, so this will not be their first rodeo, either. Collin Gillespie won a ring with Denver, even if he wasn’t on the court for it. He is an NCAA champion as well. I doubt any moment will be too big for him.
That being said, it’s a team that has enough veteran leadership to weather the storm of a series. The engine of the offense (Booker) has been through plenty of playoff battles, and nothing thrown his way will surprise him.
As for star power, the Suns may not have an MVP candidate or unicorn-level talent that the Thunder or Spurs have in SGA, or Wembanyama, but make no mistake… Devin Booker can be the best player on the floor on any given night. Can he do it consistently over the course of a playoff series? That’s what they’d need from him (outplaying the opposing top stars) to pull off an upset.
PHOENIX, AZ - MARCH 22: Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns smiles during the game against the Toronto Raptors on March 22, 2026 at PHX Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Kate Frese/NBAE via Getty Images)
PHOENIX, AZ - MARCH 22: Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns smiles during the game against the Toronto Raptors on March 22, 2026 at PHX Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Kate Frese/NBAE via Getty Images)
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Counterpoint 2: Continuity Struggles. A blessing or a curse?
The Suns certainly have been banged up all season long. For me, there are two ways to look at it. The way Holden laid it out in his piece was more than fair. There are a lot of “what-ifs” and hypotheticals that have floated around about what this team looks like at full strength. The reality is, we don’t know. And we also can’t be sure we’ll ever find out.
The true test would be for Jordan Ott to quickly figure out what his rotation looks like once Brooks and Williams return. The playoff rotation will be a fascinating subplot, and as things stand now, there is FAR more uncertainty than a team like San Antonio or Oklahoma City has in their rotation.
The positive twist is that teams won’t know how to plan for them as well if they do hit full strength heading into a playoff series. The roles will not shift all that much in terms of who each player is; it’s just about making it work with a “same but new” personnel on the court. The chaos, energy, and vibes would all be at an all-time high for a team that has sort of limped into the finish line. An injection of Dillon Brooks could be the exact shot in the arm that this sleeping giant needs to wake up and pull off an upset.
Counterpoint 3: Historical precedence. Times are changing!
It’s fair to be skeptical. As Holden pointed out, 7 seeds rarely advance, historically speaking. It will take a 2023 version of “playoff Book”, and then some, plus the role players stepping up and hitting their stride together. And on top of that, something going wrong for the 1 or 2 seed.
But even with those circumstances listed with the Warriors and Lakers examples of pulling off upsets in recent years, I believe that’s more of a testament to the modern NBA than anything. Seeding does not matter as much as it used to. The talent gap has closed, and parity is at an all-time high. The regular season isn’t treated as sacredly, and that leads to teams dropping in seeds they don’t belong.
I believe we will see more and more upsets compared to decades past. It may not be the Suns or even another team this year, but the talent level of teams like the Suns and Clippers (with a healthy Kawhi) is much more terrifying than your typical 7th and 8th seeds in years past. The lower seeds only seem to get better every year, leading to more competitive First Round matchups.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JANUARY 27: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the LA Clippers posts up Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns during the game at Footprint Center on January 27, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Clippers 111-109. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JANUARY 27: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the LA Clippers posts up Devin Booker #1 of the Phoenix Suns during the game at Footprint Center on January 27, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Clippers 111-109. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
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The Suns’ identity under Jordan Ott has been a team that cannot be counted out all season long. They would certainly enter either series as significant underdogs, but don’t you dare count out these Sunderella Suns just yet. We know they won’t go down without a fight.
Maybe, just maybe… we’ll get to see them peak one last time. At the right time.