It’s been a long time (ooh, it’s been a long time), as a certain recently incarcerated Aussie athlete would say. Not since the Barkley era of the franchise has the Phoenix Suns made it to the NBA Finals. Heading into the season, they had the league’s 2nd longest playoff drought looming over their heads. But with momentum on their side, and after clinching Game 6 against the Los Angeles Clippers in a decisive 130-103 victory, capping off the Western Conference with a 4-2 series win… 2021 is certainly shaping up to be their year.
The 2020-21 season has been full of surprises. Despite extremely unfavourable odds (betting and otherwise), the Suns knocked out defending champions – the Los Angeles Lakers – in a stunning upset during the first round of playoffs. Last year’s runner ups – the Miami Heat – were also taken out of contention right away by the Milwaukee Bucks. Now, the tides have well and truly turned, with the Suns favoured to take home championship glory.
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If Game 6 was any indication of how this year’s NBA Finals will end, we’d be fully prepared to place some money on the Phoenix Suns. Chris Paul put in the work, scoring an extraordinary playoff career-high 41 points – making CP3 the oldest player to join the 40-point club at age 36 – while Devin Booker did his part, putting up 22 points on the board. Jae Crowder followed closely with 19 points and Deandre Ayton rounded it out with another 16 points.
The Phoenix Suns will face either the Atlanta Hawks or the Milwaukee Bucks depending on the outcome; the latter of whom are currently tied 2-2 in the Eastern Conference Finals series. Should the Suns prevail when the dust has settled, it’ll mark the franchise’s first-ever NBA championship title in history.
