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Phoenix Suns · Having spent much of the season attempting to locate the sweet spot with their All-Star-packed trio, the Phoenix Suns certainly picked the perfect time to finally be putting everything together. Buoyed by a 7-3 stretch — the NBA’s most difficult 10-game stretch — to close the season, the Suns bought themselves nearly a full week of rest, narrowly avoiding the Play-In Tournament to earn the Western Conference’s No. 6 seed. The pressure will arrive soon, as the Suns prepare for a familiar opponent in the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Hall of Fame-bound trio of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal, and their cohesiveness, will be the No. 1 story to consider; over 41 games together, they finished 26-15. Together, the three combined for the franchise’s highest-scoring trio, remarkable in how synonymous the run-and-gun, score-heavy style is in the desert. Well aware of the expectations associated with such a team, the Suns will be out to end a two-season stretch of losing in Round 2, with their eyes fixated entirely on playing into June. · State of Mint · State of Mint