Just as every analysis says that the Suns were automatically got the favor to win the championship this year after the KD acquisition. This team could be the perfect team, COULD BE, all because CP3 is a good offensive facilitator. Now, all they need to do is to be healthy for the remainder of the season and most especially in the playoffs.
A healthy Suns is gonna be a hell of an opponent, simply because an opposing team cannot double team KD, Booker, CP3, and Ayton all at the same time. One defender may not be enough to guard either of these 4. So, that alone is going to be their advantage. However, there could still be a lot of teams that could potentially beat them in a 7 game series, but if the Suns won't win it all this year, it will going to be very shameful to them, as they seem to be the most stacked team in the NBA today.
Time is the greatest factor here. They acquired Kevin Durant late in the season. There are 22 games left in the regular season before the playoffs. I do not know if that is enough time for them to create chemistry enough to pull a win in a series against the top team in the West. But they are great players on paper and their combination is a killer. Chris Paul is eager to have his ring and he will do everything to make this work because this might be his last chance to get a ring.
I think a healthy Lakers team might be able to make an impact in the playoffs. We have to see how their new lineup goes, if AD can stay healthy, and if they can sign Kevin Love. Never discount LeBron James in the playoffs.
I still doubt the Lakers will make it to the playoffs but if they do, they might end up playing against the Nuggets. I do not think they will make an impact if they get bounced in the first round.
Let’s see how the Suns look together before giving them the ring.
They are a contender though. Even without Durant on the lineup, they are already a contender in WCF and now they add Durant, they have a better chance of winning a title. But the West is a stacked conference, just looking at the standing in the first round will be tough. They can end up going against the Clippers in the first round, which is looking great right now. Healthy Kawhi and Paul George, that is tough to beat.