Suns continue their impressive rebuild by storming through the playoffs.

The Phoenix Suns have undergone a remarkable transformation through a homegrown rebuild, progressing from a team that only won 19 games in 2019 to now being just eight wins away from potentially clinching their first NBA championship in franchise history.

At first, NBA betting sites had the Phoenix Suns, coached by Monty Williams, listed with +4000 odds to win the NBA Finals, which put them in the same range as the James Harden-led Rockets (+3000) and the Blazers (+5000). But as the Suns, led by Chris Paul and Devin Booker, got off to a hot start with a 5-1 record, their odds began to drop. With impressive progress to 20-10, then 36-14, the Suns proved themselves as serious contenders for the championship.

When the playoffs began, they were already seen as formidable contenders. They cruised past the Lakers, who were dealing with injuries, in the first round and swept the Nuggets in the second round. Currently, they have +120 odds to win the Western Conference Finals and +400 odds to win the championship as they await the outcome of the Jazz-Clippers series.

Suns boasting an impressive playoff history

The Suns, seeded second in the Western Conference, had a tough road ahead to reach their current position. They had to face the seventh-seeded Lakers, who had overcome injuries to make it to the play-in tournament. Following a victory over Steph Curry and the Warriors, the Lakers secured a matchup against the Suns.

During the second round, they were matched up against the Nuggets, led by league MVP Nikola Jokic. Despite missing Jamal Murray, the team had an abundance of talent and had secured victories in 13 of their last 18 games heading into the playoffs.

Even with Anthony Davis’ injury, the Suns breezed through both series. Falling behind 2-1 against LA, Phoenix rallied to win seven straight games, beating the spread each time. The Suns now have the NBA’s second-best playoff defense, an impressive feat considering their challenging opponents.

Winning a championship title is never easy, but taking down LeBron James, the league MVP, and either the dominant Jazz or Kawhi Leonard, and then facing the East champion would definitely establish someone as an outstanding NBA champion.

The remaining teams are well-matched against the Suns.

No matter which team the Suns meet in the Western Conference Finals, they should feel assured in their chances to reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 1993.

Should the Suns face the third-seeded Clippers, they would have the benefit of playing on their home court. This is significant as the Suns have an impressive record of 31-10 straight up and an NBA-leading 27-14 against the spread when playing at home. In the playoffs, they hold a 4-1 record both straight up and against the spread, with a notable +14.4 net rating.

Should the Jazz progress to Round 2, Phoenix will be playing against them away from home, despite winning against them three times in the regular season. Even in the absence of Donovan Mitchell in one of those games in late April, Phoenix would still hold a psychological edge heading into the series against the Jazz.

No matter who they are facing, the Suns should believe in their capability to bring the NBA Finals back to Arizona.