What is the key to the Phoenix Suns' title hopes?

Is it an NBA Finals or a loss for Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns?

Durant, who Phoenix acquired along with TJ Warren from the Brooklyn Nets for forwards Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson and Jae Crowder, four unprotected future first-round picks and a draft pick last month, made his debut with the Suns on March 1 Phoenix is 3-0 with Durant on the court, their latest win coming Sunday on the road against the Dallas Mavericks.

On Monday’s edition of “First Things First,” Chris Broussard asserted that a healthy Suns team should hold onto the Larry O’Brien Trophy in June.

“The Phoenix Suns should win the title,” Broussard said. “If Kevin Durant is what we’ve all said he is. If Devin Booker is the budding superstar we think he is. If Chris Paul is the leader, the floor general we think he is, the top five point guard of all time, then they should win the title… It’s a legit big four. [Deandre Ayton] can give you 18 [points] and 10 [rebounds]. You don’t have to play games for him.

“… I understand they’re not the favorite because you have to take health into consideration because Boston and Milwaukee look really good and KD just came in so I’m not upset if they’re not the favorite but they should… cheers intact: win the championship.”

Durant, Paul and Booker combine for 28 All-Star Game invitations, while Ayton has averaged a double-double in each of his five seasons in the league.

The Suns are in the midst of a rollercoaster season. At one point, they were 21-24, largely due to injuries to Booker (groin) and Paul (heel and hip). For starters, Durant didn’t debut with the Suns for three weeks after arriving in Phoenix due to a knee injury. The superstar forward also hasn’t played 60 games in a regular season since 2018-19.

Lately, though, the Suns are in a better place.

Phoenix has won 15 of its last 20 games, improving to 36-29, good for fourth place in the West. The Suns entered Monday two games behind the Sacramento Kings for the No. 3 seed while holding a two-game lead over the Golden State Warriors for the No. 5 seed.

On the season, Durant is averaging 29.5 points per game while shooting 56.6/38.6/93.1. Booker is averaging 27.2 points per game.

Phoenix is on a long revenge tour after blowing a 2-0 lead in Milwaukee in the 2021 NBA Finals and then getting blown out of its home by Dallas in Game 7 of the 2022 Western Conference Semifinals .The Suns were the No. 2 seed in the 2021 Western Conference Playoffs and the No. 1 seed last season.

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