Without the slightest exaggeration, this year's fifth place in the West is the unlucky fifth in history, because they are not facing the fourth in the West, but the Phoenix Suns, who have the first book strength in the league.
I believe that there is no team in the entire league that wants to face the Suns, who Durant's full lineup joined, in the first round.
The Suns, who had not yet been traded at the beginning of the season, were a strong contender for the championship, and under Paul and Booker, Ayton and Bridges, as well as many quality role players, also sat first in the West.
After the Durant deal, which is enough to subvert the pattern of the league, the Suns have become a veritable four-core lineup, which can be said to be both offensive and defensive, internal and external.
If someone still doubts the true strength of the sun, then we will speak directly with the record.
After Durant joined the Suns due to injury factors, he played a total of 8 games for the Suns, winning all 8 games, including the Nuggets who were the first in the West twice, as well as the Timberwolves, Thunder, and Lone Ranger, which are playoff fringe teams that must compete for every game, and the gold content is not low.
In these 8 games, Durant averaged 26 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.3 blocks per game, and his shooting percentage came directly to the 180 club. It can be said that there is no run-in between Durant and the Suns, but a completely seamless finish.
Such a sun can only be said to be terrifying, and there is no ball distribution problem in the team. Paul, as the first ball carrier, has never been a lone stormtrooper, but a conductor who organizes the series, and Booker and Durant are the few superstars in the league who can play without the ball, plus Ayton on the inside, and he is also not a ball-eating center. So the issue of the Suns' ball distribution is absolutely nonsense.
Therefore, although the current Suns only rank fourth in the West, they have the first book strength in the league, so this year's fifth is really a miserable fate. There is no disparaging king, but if any team is selected, I believe they would prefer to go to the sixth dozen kings.
So the question is, how far do you think such solar energy will go in the playoffs?