Suns' Placement in Latest NBA Power Rankings Isn't Surprising

Phoenix has lost six of its last eight games, so its ranking drop was expected.

Mar. 30, 2026 at 9:09pm

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A fractured, multi-angled painting depicting a Suns basketball game, with sharp geometric shapes in shades of purple, orange, and black, conveying the team's tumultuous late-season push for the playoffs.The Suns' recent struggles are reflected in a fragmented, cubist-inspired illustration capturing the chaotic energy of their late-season push for the playoffs.Phoenix Today

The Phoenix Suns have lost six of their last eight games heading into the final stretch of the regular season, so their latest placement in various NBA power rankings this week was not surprising. The Suns are currently in seventh place in the Western Conference standings, but have some work to do to hold off the Los Angeles Clippers and keep home-court advantage in the play-in tournament.

Why it matters

The Suns have struggled lately, going just 7-3 over their previous 10 games. They now face a tough remaining schedule, with six of their final eight games on the road. Maintaining their position in the play-in tournament will be crucial, as they look to avoid falling out of the playoff picture entirely.

The details

The Suns have dropped in the latest power rankings, falling to No. 14 in The Athletic's rankings (down from No. 12) and staying at No. 12 in the NBA.com rankings. Analyst Law Murray noted that the Suns could have used a longer break after a grueling five-games-in-seven-days stretch, and that Suns guard Duane Gillespie has been a revelation this season, helping to fill in for the injured Jalen Green. However, Gillespie's strong play may price him out of Phoenix in free agency this offseason.

  • The Suns have lost six of their last eight games heading into the final stretch of the regular season.
  • The Suns will play six of their final eight games on the road, with a four-game trip beginning in Memphis on Monday.

The players

Duane Gillespie

A Suns guard who has been a revelation this season, helping to fill in for the injured Jalen Green and operating as an essential engine in Phoenix's backcourt.

Devin Booker

The Suns' star player, who has been freed from point guard duties with Gillespie's emergence.

Tyus Jones

A former Sun who is now playing for the Denver Nuggets.

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What they’re saying

“After the five-in-seven schedule they had the previous week, the Suns could have used a three-day break. They were instead rewarded with a five-day break, as the Jazz came to visit. Gillespie's jump shot took the night off Saturday, as he missed all eight shots (all 3s). He's still been a revelation in Phoenix, making up for the early-season loss of Jalen Green while finally freeing Devin Booker from point guard duties. Think about the fact that he's here starting, while former Sun Tyus Jones is in Denver, Gillespie's original NBA team.”

— Law Murray

“The Suns remain firmly in seventh place in the West, having lost a nail-biter to the Nuggets and blown out the Jazz last week. But they still have some work to do to hold off the Clippers and keep home-court advantage in the No. 7-8 SoFi Play-In Tournament game. The Suns will play six of their final eight games on the road, with a four-game trip beginning in Memphis on Monday. They'll be at a rest disadvantage the following night in Orlando, currently 3-7 (0-4 on the road) in rest-disadvantage games this season.”

— John Schuhmann

What’s next

The Suns will need to ensure they maintain their position in the play-in tournament over the final stretch of the season, as they face a tough road-heavy schedule and try to hold off the surging Clippers.

The takeaway

The Suns' recent struggles and drop in the power rankings are not surprising given their recent record, but they will need to find a way to turn things around if they want to avoid falling out of the playoff picture entirely. Maintaining home-court advantage in the play-in tournament will be crucial.