Not many NBA teams have the luxury of having the last guy on the bench have 25 games of playoff experience, but that's the kind of leadership Isiah Thomas brings to the Phoenix Suns.
He has logged 15 minutes in five games since joining the Suns, but his locker room and practice participation was enough to earn him a contract through the end of the season.
thomas has joined Arizona Sports Burns & Gumbo Thursday to discuss the team's approach to the final week of the 82-game regular season, which will see them compete for postseason standings.
“I've been with this team the last few weeks and I've seen how much firepower we have, but if things go really well in terms of hitting the right strides at the right times, how much firepower we have. I think the world knows how scary it can be,” Thomas said. “I think we've got to be a little more consistent on both ends of the floor and communicate a little more. If we do that, this team is going to have limits every day.”
Opening the NBA on Thursday, the Suns held the No. 7 seed in the West Division standings, just a half-game behind the New Orleans Pelicans for the coveted No. 6 spot, which is beyond the play-in tournament.
“We're talking about getting the No. 6 seed, which is very important to us,” Thomas said. burns & gumbo. “But at the same time, if something happens and we have to go to the play-in, we're ready for that, we're not afraid of any chance…but if that doesn't happen and we get sixth place.” As a seeded player, I will prepare for whoever I play in the first round. ”
Even without the Suns' game on Thursday, the standings could change significantly. The 6th place Pelicans will play the 8th place Sacramento Kings, and if the Pelicans lose, they will be tied with Phoenix.
The Suns have a head-to-head tiebreaker with the Pelicans, so Phoenix will be safely out of the play-in picture, at least for now.
“Obviously we want to worry about ourselves, but we're also human. We're going to watch it, I'm going to watch it in this hotel room. I'm a fan of this game and I don't know what's at stake. I think everyone who knows what's on the line is watching and watching the last few games of the season to see what kind of situation we're in,” Thomas said. . “Obviously, we can control our own destiny. We'll deal with these next two games, but we're definitely paying attention to what other teams are doing. .”
