Phoenix Suns must start the series wrong
With the Phoenix Suns facing the Los Angeles Lakers in round one of the playoffs, they face what may be the toughest challenge a two-seed has ever faced in the first round. Because of this, due to some distinct advantages, the Suns must have two strong games at home to start the series.
In a seven-game series, it might sound silly to say that the first two games are very important. But the Phoenix Suns face a situation no team has ever had and where the first two games could rule everything.
Of course, the Lakers are the Suns’ opponents in the first round, but that’s just because it can’t be said to be up against LeBron James, whose presence still seems bigger than the league itself. that LeBron is making his way to the playoffs easier and that it may not matter to win the first game in the opening round. After all, he is 0-2 in the first game of his last two appearances.
Over the course of his career, however, this was not the case as the record fluctuates at 12-2. He went on to win every streak, so take it any way you want, but what that shows is that LeBron isn’t wasting time in the playoffs that he shouldn’t in order to stay healthy.
This year, the Phoenix Suns could be in a good position to make LeBron sweat early on the first round and potentially translate that into a series win. This is the first time a LeBron James-led team has played their first playoff game on the street. With fans and no travel, the suns should have an obvious advantage from this perspective to start the series.
Where the sun benefit becomes interesting has to do with preparation. In a normal playoff series, each team would have the same amount of time to prepare for the other team to start a first round series. With the Lakers in one game, the Suns had nearly three full days with the Lakers focused more on the Warriors than Phoenix.
While the suns were also preparing to face Golden State in the first round, I would find it hard to believe that much of the attention was focused on the team in purple and gold. If so, for tactical reasons, the suns should have the edge when the two teams meet for the first time. That advantage will wear off quickly after the two meet on the pitch, which is why attacking early is key.
In the playoffs, coaching and programs are more important than ever. Everyone knows more than ever about the team they are facing. If the suns have an advantage in these areas rather than just playing at home, the first two games will become even more important.
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