The Phoenix Suns’ win total has seen a significant change since their December slump.

How Phoenix Suns Win Total Has Changed Since December Slump
Fact Checked by Young Ruth

In just two months, the Phoenix Suns have gone from dreaming of an NBA Championship to fighting for a playoff spot, facing a tough winter season.

The Suns, who were initially tied for the second-highest win total at 52.5 with Milwaukee and the L.A. Clippers on BetMGM Sportsbook Arizona, are now expected to finish with a losing record and are in danger of missing the playoffs.

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From December 1 onwards, the Suns have faced difficulties, achieving a 6-15 record. During this time, key players Devin Booker and Chris Paul have been absent for a total of 31 games out of 86.

The team, once considered a strong contender in the Arizona NBA betting market to win the Western Conference, ended the season with a 21-22 record.

The team’s recent slump has led to a decrease in their championship odds on Arizona sports betting apps to +1600. Additionally, their Western Conference futures stand at +600, placing them fifth out of 15 teams in the franchise.

Yengols.com wanted to analyze the Suns’ current season decline by comparing it to previous instances of underperformance in the franchise’s history.

Comparison between the worst seasons and the preseason total.

Year Win Proj. (Rank) Record Wins Below Proj.
200345.5 (12th)29-53-16.5
201536.5 (18th)23-59-13.5
202252.5 (T2nd)21-22-12.5*
201829 (27th)19-63-10
200144.5 (T15th)36-46-8.5
201728.5 (T26th)21-61-7.5
201233.5 (21st)25-57-7.5
* — Projected season total based on current record.

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Assessing the Strengths of the 2022-23 Suns

The Suns have a current winning percentage of .488, indicating they are likely to end the season with 40 wins, which is 12.5 wins below the projected total set by Arizona online sportsbooks.

It was the franchise’s largest single-season win total disappointment in seven years, as Phoenix ended with a record of 23-59, falling short of the projected 36.5 wins.

This season may witness the biggest drop in wins compared to preseason predictions for any Suns team ranking in the top 10 in that category. The most similar scenario occurred in 2003 with the team coached by Mike D’Antoni, which ended with a 29-53 record despite being projected to win 45.5 games, showing a notable decline.

The Suns are on pace to finish the season with at least 10 fewer wins than their preseason prediction for the fourth time in the past century.

This year, the Suns are faced with the task of regaining momentum without Paul, who is struggling with a lingering hip injury, as well as Johnson and Shamet, who are both rehabilitating from knee and hip injuries.

Tonight in Minneapolis, the Suns will begin their journey towards a turnaround as they face the Minnesota Timberwolves at 6 p.m. Arizona time.

FanDuel Sportsbook Arizona has the Suns listed at +166 and they are considered to be 5.5 point underdogs in their game at Target Center.

The Phoenix team will play against Memphis on the road on Monday, and will end January with home games against Brooklyn, Indiana, Memphis, Charlotte, and Dallas.

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Author

Peterson Christopher

Peterson Christopher has spent over seven years covering sports and sports betting in Arizona, and currently serves as the main writer at yengols.com. His background includes working with ArizonaSports.com, the Tucson Weekly, and the Green Valley News.

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