On March 3, Beijing time, in an NBA regular season game that ended earlier today, the Phoenix Suns defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 120-90 at home, ending the team's losing streak.
Although the Suns' main players Chris Paul and Devon Booker did not play for some reasons, they still managed to play team basketball. A total of six players on the team scored in double figures, including Johnson with 20 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists, Crowder 15 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists and 5 steals, Ayton with 18 points and 8 rebounds, Bridges with 15 points, Shamet with 12 points and Craig with 13 points and 4 rebounds.
After today's win, the Suns have a 50-win record in the regular season, seven more than the Warriors and Grizzlies, who have the second-most wins in the league. The last time a team in the NBA reached 50 wins, it was in the 1996-97 season when it was so many wins ahead of second place.
This season, the Suns remain extremely competitive under paul and Booker, and the team has a lot of players who can play a role. There are seven players who average double-doubles per game, in addition to many players who average 8 points and 9 points per game.
The team's offense doesn't just depend on a player, which is why the Suns can still win in the absence of the main player.
Paul is now 36 years old and his career is at the end of its life. For him, this year is indeed a great opportunity to compete for the championship. What the team needs to do now is to keep the rankings while trying not to let the team have injury problems.