"I would have bet a thousand cases of Dew that wouldn't have happened" - Skip Bayless expresses bewilderment at Phoenix Suns collapsing against Mavericks
Heading into the postseason, the Phoenix Suns looked well on their way to getting back to the NBA Finals. Led by Chris Paul and Coach of the Year Monty Williams, few teams looked like they would be capable of taking them down in a seven-game series.
On Sunday afternoon, however, we saw an unimaginable Game 7 for all the wrong reasons. Led by Luka Doncic, the Dallas Mavericks wiped the floor with the Suns. As a result, they will be advancing to the Western Conference finals. The Mavericks won by a final of 123-90, but, at one point, they led by a whopping 46 points.
Following such an absymal showing, FS1's Skip Bayless gave his thoughts on the Phoenix Suns flopping in Game 7. He, like most of us, never expected things to play out the way they did.
"I would have bet a thousand cases of Dew that wouldn't have happened."
What made this game so shocking was that Phoenix was head and shoulders above the competition all year. Throughout the regular season, no team was even close to being on the same level as them. Despite this, they came up way short in their biggest game of the year.
"Those same Phoenix Suns won the West by eight games. Those same Phoenix Suns were 11 games better than Miami which won the East. They destroyed the field during the regular season."
.@RealSkipBayless reacts to the Suns getting blown out in Game 7 at home vs the Mavs:
"Those same Phoenix Suns won the West by 8 games. Those same Phoenix Suns were 11 games better than Miami which won the East. They destroyed the field during the regular season." https://t.co/9j7bwAYqQ7
Phoenix Suns squandered big opportunity with Game 7 loss
A lot can be said about what the Suns did in Game 7, but the biggest overall takeaway is the opportunity they squandered. Many believed they could take down the Golden State Warriors, and with the Milwaukee Bucks eliminated, they were the overall favorites to win the title. Chances of securing a championship don't come around often, and the Suns might have just let their best shot slip through their fingers.
Due to their roster construction, Phoenix has a very tight window of contention. Chris Paul is in his late-thirties, and only has so much left in the tank. As the maestro of the Suns' offense, his addition has done wonders for the young core. Jae Crowder is another experienced veteran they picked up who is in the twilight of his career.
“Ain’t nobody afraid of anybody over there in Phoenix, man. Everybody in the league knows that.”
.@patbev21, tell us how you really feel about the Suns 👀 https://t.co/GlxSAXUrq5
Along with some of their key pieces getting older, the Suns also have to look at the rest of the Western Conference. Moving forward, their quest for a title is only going to get harder. The Clippers and Nuggets are going to be fully healthy, the Lakers are likely to re-tool, and teams like the Grizzlies and Timberwolves will only improve with more experience. Going out the way they did has to sting for the Suns, but the thought of possibly having squandered a title likely hurts the most.