With 41 wins and 29 losses, the Phoenix Suns are tied with the Mavs for sixth place in the West. Now, with 12 matches remaining, they have the opportunity to automatically qualify for the first round, bypassing the play-in tournament.
Being on the verge of qualifying for the first round is not exactly synonymous with contention. However, the team must imagine its chances of challenging for the title considering the power trio of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal.
In that wake, Tracy McGrady gave the Suns a sure formula for success during the Playoffs. In your Instagram, the former scoring point guard asked the Suns to take a few pages from the Golden State Warriors’ offensive playbook. In choosing his favorites for the 2024 NBA title, he opined that the Suns can win it all if they acquire a Warriors-like fluidity in their offensive schemes.
“I look at Phoenix. To me, they should be the favorites because you have KD. Bradley Beal scored a 60. Booker scored a 60 and a 70. Three guys who are incredible. “If you put KD and Booker in the gym with Klay Thompson and Steph Curry, they’re at that level of shooting.”
TMac then mentioned what makes Warriors so good. Speaking about the system in which players are constantly moving, he said:
“Steph, I don’t know how many miles he runs per game. Klay Thompson is the same. That’s why they are so difficult to defend. And how crazy would it be to protect them if they had any kind of movement? Championship. Championship.”
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No wonder McGrady values the Suns so much and gives them a chance to win the title. The Guard is grading the team based on potential and offensive prowess. After all, he has hailed Kevin Durant as the toughest coverage in one-on-one situations.
For T-Mac, there is nothing stopping Kevin Durant
Last year, during an interview with soak, T-Mac was asked who was the best forward in 1v1 situations. T-Mac did not hesitate to adopt Durant’s name. His central argument revolved around the “7-foot” forward’s ability to reach his spots in fewer dribbles compared to other forwards. Considering the height at which he shoots and how quickly he can navigate the defense, according to McGrady, there is nothing that can stop the efficient Durant. For the former NBA superstar scorer, KD’s ability to pick his spots is similar to his own fiery style.
“I don’t think anyone is better than KD. His shooting ability [at]7’0 feet. KD reminds me of myself, being able to get to his spots in 3 or 4 dribbles. In terms of how he gets to his spots, KD doesn’t need 10 dribbles to get into a rhythm and move up. KD needs 3-4 dribbles and is in a situation. He goes where he wants, with fewer dribbles and is efficient.McGrady said.
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Therefore, the 7x NBA All-Star rates KD above LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jayson Tatum as the best one-on-one forward in the league. Considering the Suns have a top-ten scorer in Devin Booker and a polished guard in Bradley Beal, perhaps McGrady’s stipulation of a title run isn’t far-fetched.
However, the loaded West has many tricks up its sleeve.
