Alright, it’s official!
The Valley Suns are headed to the postseason in their inaugural season. Not bad for the new kids on the block. They had the...right stuff. They got their...step by step. They were...hangin’ tough. Okay. I’ll stop.
With a 20-14 record, they locked in the 5th seed in the Western Conference after the dust settled on the G League’s final day of action.
What is the reward for the Phoenix Suns’ G League affiliate? They will play the Santa Cruz Warriors, Golden State’s team, in the first round. It is a one-game playoff round to advance.
The Valley Suns and Santa Cruz Warriors have tangled five times this season—three matchups in the G League’s Tip-Off Tournament and two in the regular season. Phoenix’s affiliate holds a slight edge, winning three of the five meetings.
Statistically, the Valley Suns have been one of the league’s more dynamic teams. They finished 6th in scoring (117.1 PPG), 13th in offensive rating (118.2), 9th in defensive rating (116.3), and played at the 4th-fastest pace. TyTy Washington Jr. has been their offensive engine, averaging 22.3 points while shooting a sharp 42.6% from deep. Their contributions have even rippled up to the big league squad. Collin Gillespie, now a starter for the Phoenix Suns, averaged 21.2 points and 10.6 assists in his 10 games with the Valley Suns.
Santa Cruz presents a tough challenge. They are one of the best three-point shooting teams in the G League and rank 4th in scoring (118.6 PPG). Playmaker Yuri Collins is a key threat, sitting third in the league with 8.9 assists per game.
The two teams will battle in the opening round of the G League playoffs on Tuesday, April 1, at 7:00 PM at Kaiser Permanente Arena in Santa Cruz. The game will air on ESPNU.
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