The NBA is back! Just like your favorite superhero story, the league brings fun, entertainment, and a lot of uncanny subplots to unpack. That’s why NBA.com Philippines decided to preview the new season comic-book style. We pick out fantastic characters that will take the stage and new amazing arcs to watch out for. Bang! Pow! Boom! Let’s go!
What’s their superpower?
The Phoenix Suns might be the most favored team in the West, and for good reason. They had a busy offseason, arguably making the best big trades and free-agent signings out of all the teams.
Already with the potent scoring duo of Devin Booker and Kevin Durant, the Suns acquired Bradley Beal to make a new Big 3. Despite the loss of Chris Paul, Phoenix’s offense doesn’t look like it will suffer with Beal ready to provide some buckets.
What’s their kryptonite?
With new faces on the roster and Frank Vogel as the new head coach, there may be potential roadblocks that can prevent a superb season.
The league is much more balanced now than ever which will make the results more volatile on a game-to-game basis. The Suns might find it difficult to integrate the new players and there may be a slower-than-anticipated start to the season as the players and coaches familiarize themselves with each other.
Who is their biggest hero?
Devin Booker can make a case for the best offensive young star in the league. Last season, he averaged 27.8 points per game, which was his career-high. Given that he will play alongside the likes of elite scorers in Durant and Beal, his performance will likely remain sharp.
In the absence of a pure point guard because of the departure of CP3, Booker is expected to have the ball in his hands most of the time. His scoring volume may increase along with his shot creation for his teammates. If the Suns reach expectations and go far this season, Book has a good chance of winning the MVP for the first time in his career.
Who is their biggest villain?
It’s no secret that Vogel is a defensive-minded coach. He led LeBron James and the Lakers to a championship in the 2020 bubble, but this time, he has a tougher job on his hands. The Suns are completely constructed as an offensive team with high-scoring superstars as its foundation.
Vogel may be the biggest villain as he’s going to exhaust the players on the defensive end. He may even move the rotation around a bit just to see what will work and what will not. Apart from Durant, and to a certain extent Bol Bol, he has no other options to actually stop opponents, especially out on the perimeter. Vogel will definitely have to find a way to inject his defensive imprint into the Suns before they slack in that department.
How does their story (season) play out?
The Phoenix Suns with the presence of the Big 3 are title favorites in the West. You can easily put them on par with the Denver Nuggets just by looking at their lineup. If everyone stays healthy and they cooperate with each other, this could be a really solid team that can go far. Hopefully, they can mesh together early in the regular season.
