Phoenix Suns consider resting players with fourth seed in West ...

The Phoenix Suns don’t have anyone on their injury report for a fourth straight game going into Thursday’s matchup against West leader Denver (52-27) at Footprint Center.

That could change soon.

With the fourth seed in the West locked up, Phoenix (44-35) could very well rest players for its final two games Friday at the Lakers in the second of a back-to-back and Sunday against the Clippers at home.

“We’re talking about it as a staff,” coach Monty Williams said. “We haven’t talked about it with the guys just yet. We feel like there are some things that need to play out first. We feel like we have a decent idea what we’re trying to do with certain groups and certain combinations. So, the more games you can play and work on that stuff, the better, but I’m always confused by the rhythm and conditioning deal when you have your last game on Sunday and be out until (the following) Sunday.”

The NBA playoffs begin April 15.

The Suns could have an entire week off before playing again, but they’ll know their opening-round opponent by Sunday evening and have several days to prepare.

“How much conditioning can you keep,” Williams continued. “I think the one good thing is in our position, we’ll know exactly who we’re going to play and that team will be in the same position as us. So there’s no guessing. Like last year, we had to guess and we played against a team that was coming out of the gates ready to go. I think we’re in a good spot. There’s always something you can add or get better at, but I think every team is like that.”

The benefits go beyond extra time to scout their opponent. Defending NBA champion Golden State (42-38) is currently fifth in the West. The 4-5 seeds meet in the opening round.

“A little time off, get everybody’s body right,” Suns All-Star Devin Booker said. “It’s a great time of the year.”  

The Suns had the No. 1 overall seed last year and had to wait through three play-in tournament games to find out who they’d play in the first round. The Pelicans captured the eighth seed with a win April 15, 2022, over the Clippers in Los Angeles after beating the Spurs in the 9-10 game at home.

So the Suns didn’t find out who they were playing until two days before their first round series. Phoenix won the series in six games, but it proved to be more challenging than what the records would suggest.

Phoenix won a franchise-best 64 games while New Orleans was the only team in the postseason with a losing record at 36-46. Having former Suns lead assistant Willie Green as New Orleans’ head coach greatly helped the Pelicans, but Phoenix didn’t have much time to solely prepare for them.

They’ve won 20 fewer games than last season, but they’ve gone from being in danger of falling into the play-in tournament to going on a six-game winning streak and securing the fourth seed.

The Nuggets are listing two-time reigning MVP Nikola Jokic (calf), Jamal Murray (thumb) and Zeke Nnaji (knee) as questionable for Thursday’s game.

Last week, starters Michael Porter Jr. (knee), Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (non-COVID), Murray and Jokic didn’t play against the Suns at Footprint Center.

Phoenix won, 100-93, after Denver cut its 27-point lead in the third quarter down to four in the fourth quarter.

Have opinion about current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on Twitter at @DuaneRankin.

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