How The Bubble Prepared Suns For Must Win Games

(AP Photo/Matt York)

Remember when the Suns made the bubble and many people questioned why? And then remember how they went 8-0 and still didn’t make the playoffs?

The players from last year’s team do. While this topic has been mentioned throughout the 2021 playoffs, the lessons learned from that time are coming to fruition now. With their backs against the wall the Suns can only focus on one thing: winning one game now. 

That’s how the bubble was treated. Monty Williams told his guys to control what they could control by winning one game at a time. Amd while that didn’t sow any immediated benefits, this time it could end with a ring.

“We know what’s at stake and that was kind of the same thing in the bubble,” Cam Payne said. “We knew that we had to win eight games just to get an opportunity. So we just went in and found a way every game… tonight that’s what we gotta do. Find a way to be able to play through the ups and downs. Obviously they’re at home. We just ahve to found a way to fight through the adversity tonight and just stay poised.”

Payne also mentioned it’s all about making winning plays. Right now that equals making adjustments. There’s no room for error.

One side note, Scott Foster is officiating. Chris Paul is 0-12 in the playoffs when Foster is officiating. Say what you want, but a win would just add to the list of hurdles this team has been jumping over since the bubble nearly a year ago.

Game 6 is tonight at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee at 6 p.m. PST. Here in Phoenix, you can watch inside the Footprint Center for $10.