Most intriguing matchups on Phoenix Suns’ 2024-25 schedule

The Phoenix Suns’ schedule is here, so it’s time to talk about actual basketball and theoretical happenings on the hardwood!

As a way to cover some of the main themes surrounding the team coming into the season, here are five matchups that should highlight those.

Suns games we’re most excited for in the 2024-25 schedule

Minnesota Timberwolves — @ Nov. 17, vs. Jan 29, vs. March 2, @ March 29

There is more here than any other Western Conference foe when it comes to storylines. It’s a rematch of the first-round sweep last year, a team that Phoenix looked mighty comfortable with in during the regular season. Some chippiness always carries over and the Suns will want to get their licks back. Then there is the relationship between Anthony Edwards and his idol, Kevin Durant, which is coming off the Olympic stage. It’s one that Devin Booker thrived on in a starting role ahead of Edwards in the Team USA pecking order.

There is also the stylistic items on the court itself. This will be even more pronounced than last year, especially with size. With a Tyus Jones/Mike Conley savvy point-guard-off covered, that leaves Bradley Beal or Booker to defend 6-foot-9 Jaden McDaniels and the other to take Edwards.

Mike Budenholzer will certainly get the Suns taking more 3s and presumably with a decent amount of pace. Minnesota is an opponent that Phoenix should get more out of with those two factors considering Karl-Anthony Towns has to defend Kevin Durant or one of the other two-guards, and the Suns letting Minnesota get away with that in the first round is the exact thing that can’t happen this time around.

New York Knicks — vs. Nov. 20, @ April 6

Elaborating on the size questions, the Knicks might be the tallest test of all (sorry). Beal and Booker will be mirrored by 6-foot-8 Mikal Bridges and 6-foot-7 OG Anunoby. The frontcourt includes 260-pound bruiser Julius Randle. How much of the concern is overblown and how much of this is actually a huge detriment to the Suns that will lose them games gets pushed to the limits by teams like New York. There really isn’t a choice with hiding the 6-foot-1 Jones on any of those three, thus he now has to mark All-NBA Second Team guard Jalen Brunson.

New York provides a great challenge for the Suns’ depth as well, which will be much improved. It’ll bring Donte DiVincenzo, Josh Hart and Miles McBride off the bench, three difference-makers to offset the Suns’ own in Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale. The Knicks will also mix in either former Suns fan favorite Cam Payne or former Suns draft fan favorite Tyler Kolek at backup 1, where we may or may not see Phoenix’s other point guard signing Monte Morris. On the topic of reserves and with the Knicks’ athletes on the wing, this is when a heavy sprinkle of Bol Bol and Ryan Dunn would help matters if both prove reliable.

Most of all, the Knicks reach Tom Thibodeau’s desired level of physicality and grit, the type of traits combined with all the size and length that should punish the roster construction Phoenix has. With that said, if the Suns match it, they can maximize advantages elsewhere given their edge in talent on the ball. Last year, Phoenix did well in Madison Square Garden for Booker’s tremendous game-winner before giving up a buck thirty-nine at Footprint Center two weeks later, a shellacking that included a 50-burger for Brunson.

Sacramento Kings —- vs. Nov. 10, @ Nov. 13, vs. March 14, @ April 13

Consider this last trio as a litmus test for the play-in line. The Suns, on paper, clear that quite easily. But that’s before taking in how last year went and all of the hesitations built up based off that. Expect Budenholzer to clean that up and have this squad rolling in the regular season, thus avoiding a fate below top-six. So in bounding off that, these are three teams that have enough intrigue to reach beyond the muck of that and approach a squad like Phoenix attempting to hold down a spot in the 4-6 range.

Sacramento is in a similar position as Phoenix when analyzing its roster and how there is a vision for a really great team, but only if they can properly utilize it. The Kings are also small like the Suns, deploying Keegan Murray as a 4 and are heavily reliant on a guard rotation of De’Aaron Fox, DeMar DeRozan, Malik Monk, Kevin Huerter, Keon Ellis and Devin Carter. In all likelihood, this should be the most entertaining opponent over the course of the regular season. Track meets will ensue for two of the league’s best offenses.

Memphis Grizzlies — vs. Dec. 31, vs. Feb. 11, @ Feb. 25, @ March 10

Think of this as more of a lil’ check-in to see if Memphis has indeed snapped back into place, rebounding from a 27-win season to return to the form of a group that won 107 games the two years before that. If it is, the top-six will get more crowded.

No team has an individual on-ball answer for defending Ja Morant. But he’s an example of a hyper-explosive lead ball-handler to see how the Suns attempt to scheme against. Even at their best, Beal and Booker have little chance at keeping him in front. The Grizzlies will likely start Zach Edey (a non-shooter) and Jaren Jackson Jr. (a 33% 3-point shooter since 2020-21) together, allowing teams like Phoenix to help off and recover from there. Budenholzer is an underrated defensive coach and seeing how he plans for Morant will be interesting.

On the other end, Edey will be a pick-and-roll target from the jump, which is where Phoenix can exploit him via four different very good options handling the ball. With Desmond Bane and Marcus Smart presumably taking the matchups of Booker and Beal, that leaves Jackson to get the most out of his perimeter skills on Durant. Even a team like Memphis with two former Defensive Player of the Year winners still reaches the point of running into matchup problems against the Suns, something they have to be far better at getting the most out of this year.

San Antonio Spurs — vs. Dec 3, @ Feb. 20, vs. April 11

If you don’t remember the initial Victor Wembanyama experience, that’s understandable because the World Series was happening across the street. A quick synopsis is that Wembanyama majorly flashed his long-term potential everyone had been hyping up, his first real showcase moment in the NBA.

Wembanyama alone makes San Antonio worth a mention on this list. If you passed up seeing him live last year, don’t make that mistake again. It’s indescribable. There is also the Chris Paul effect to consider on a team coached by Gregg Popovich. Apologies if I just made you shudder. This team is going to be good, and like Memphis, getting a quick look at potentially how good will be nice. Are the Spurs going to be more frisky, or like a legitimate playoff team? Don’t rule out the latter.

Watching Paul and Booker compete against each other is worth the price of admission too. This was their first time doing so since the trade. Paul knew Booker’s shoulder lean in transition was coming, pulled the chair on him and made fun of him for it after.

Knew the shoulder was coming! pic.twitter.com/DiKWeMLrQu

— Kellan Olson (@KellanOlson) October 25, 2023

He’s the best. Hang that dude’s number up.

Lastly, San Antonio is not a deep team. It will be lucky to get to seven or eight trustworthy rotation players. While the Suns have a juggling act on their hands to get everyone proper minutes in the backcourt, they’ve got a great top-seven and a few others that have a chance at making a real impact this season. That is a difference-maker in the regular season that will win Phoenix a whole lot of games if it can find some consistency versus less talented competition. The Suns went 1-3 against the 22-60 Spurs last year.

And in a fun side note, the Feb. 20 matchup will actually take place at the Moody Center, home to Durant’s Texas Longhorns.

Follow @KellanOlson