However, if they fail to reach the playoffs, it won't be because of how they've played in the season's second half, since the team has very much rebounded from its 14-20 record at the All-Star break.

Still, Suns president of basketball operations Lon Babby told Arizona Sports 620's Doug and Wolf that he wished there was more time for his team to make a run to the postseason.

"I wish we had a full season. I wish we had another 16, 20 games left, because I think we would be formidable the rest of the way," Babby said. "Hope we make the playoffs. We're going to fight like heck to do it, but we may run out of time. But I do think we're playing at a very, very high level now."

Babby thinks the shortened training camp and preseason are big factors for why the team struggled early, as several players dealt with injuries and coming into camp out of shape.

"I think they were in relatively good shape, but not the kind of shape they would be if we had a normal offseason," Babby said. "Channing Frye and Shannon Brown have publicly stated they're in much better shape. I think that was a big part of it."

But what he largely credits the resurgence and late success to is the intensity the bench has shown, which, Babby feels, is a sign that head coach Alvin Gentry finally got guys to click on the floor.

"I think Alvin was brilliant in searching and searching until he got the right combinations and was encouraged by the players themselves to have a greater belief in the bench," Babby said. "He took their advice and it worked out."