The Phoenix Suns have been in the thick of it for nearly a month now-battling through one of the most relentless stretches any NBA team will face this season. Since November 21, it’s been a nightly slugfest against playoff-caliber opponents, with barely a breather in sight.
We're talking about a 14-game crucible where 13 of those matchups came against teams sitting above .500. That’s not just a tough schedule-that’s a gauntlet.
Let’s rewind for a second. Back on November 18, the Suns had just knocked off Portland and were sitting at a respectable 9-6.
Then the schedule turned mean. Minnesota.
San Antonio. Houston.
OKC. Denver.
The Lakers. Rinse and repeat.
In fact, the only sub-.500 team during that run was Sacramento-and even that’s a team that can punch above its weight on any given night.
So how did the Suns hold up? They went 5-6 in that stretch.
And honestly, that record says more about this team’s identity than any dominant win ever could. It speaks to resilience, to grit, and to a team that’s learning how to bend without breaking.
They did it shorthanded, too. Jalen Green was out the whole way.
Devin Booker missed three games. The Suns weren’t just facing elite teams-they were doing it without a full deck.
And still, they found a way to stay competitive in games that were slow, physical, choppy, and often dictated more by whistles than rhythm. These weren’t contests built for highlight reels-they were battles of attrition.
And the grind isn’t quite over yet. Phoenix still has two games against Golden State in the next three days-a team chasing them from the eighth seed.
Then comes another matchup with the Lakers on December 23, the third time those two have squared off in just over three weeks. That’s a lot of familiarity in a short window, and it’s the kind of stretch that can start to feel personal.
But after that? The clouds start to part.
Not a full-on break-this is the NBA, after all-but a stretch that finally offers some breathing room. Two games in New Orleans, a stop in Washington, and then a New Year’s Eve clash in Cleveland.
Not easy, but certainly not the buzzsaw they’ve just been through.
And through it all, the Suns have managed to keep their defensive edge razor sharp. They’re leading the league in steals during this stretch, averaging 11.2 per game-1.5 more than the next closest team, Oklahoma City.
That speaks to effort. To energy.
To a defense that doesn’t take nights off, even when the legs are heavy.
Offensively, though, the toll has been more noticeable. Three-point shooting has dipped to 34.4%, ranking 22nd in the league during this run.
Assists are down to 23.5 per game, which places them near the bottom at 28th. That’s what happens when you’re facing elite defenses night after night.
Ball movement gets disrupted. Spacing shrinks.
You’re not playing with rhythm-you’re playing just to stay afloat.
But that’s the point. This stretch wasn’t about style-it was about survival.
And if the Suns can pull out two more wins in these next three games, they’ll finish this 14-game gauntlet at .500. Considering the injuries, the caliber of opponents, and the sheer grind of the schedule, that would be a massive win in its own right.
Sometimes, the most telling thing about a team isn’t how they dominate-it’s how they endure. And right now, the Suns are showing they’re built to last.