50% Deposit and Reload Bonus
At WagerWeb you can cash in on an amazing 50% deposit and reload bonus when you sign up for a new account!

BetUS $500 Match Bonus
Sign up for a new account with BetUS and deposit $500 or more to get a $500 match bonus.

2008 Phoenix Suns Predictions & Season Preview

Written by Jack Jones on October 27, 2008

It’s a new day for the Phoenix Suns as Mike D’Antoni is gone and Terry Porter is the team’s new head coach. After a great run of putting up big numbers on offense, the team is going to try to focus on defense this season in order to attempt to get deeper in the playoffs. This team will have to adjust to a more defensive minded head coach as the quick shooting and fast paced offense days seem to be in the rear view mirror. The Suns odds to win the Pacific have been set at 2.5-to-1.

It’s now or never for this Suns team, who has center Shaquille O’Neal in his twighlight years and point guard Steve Nash isn’t getting any younger either. They still do have a young gun in Amare Stoudemire though along with a solid supporting cast. Phoenix is a 9-to-1 favorite to win the Western Conference.

Even though Shaq isn’t the same force that he once was, he can still be a pretty good force in the paint. He is telling everyone that his body is in great shape and he still feels like he can contribute for 30 minutes per night, which would be huge for this Suns team. With Shaq at center scoring almost 13 points and grabbing 10.6 rebounds per game and Stoudemire at power forward chipping in 25.2 points and 9.1 boards, you would be hard pressed to find a better 1-2 punch down low. Stoudemire is extremely athletic and can hit the mid-range jumper. Grant Hill plays the small forward, and while not the star that he was in his early days with the Detroit Pistons, he is a savvy veteran who can still contribute and won’t make mistakes. The odds for the Phoenix Suns to win the NBA Finals are set at 18-to-1.

Nash has been passed over by the likes of Chris Paul and Derron Williams, but he still is one of the best point guards in the league. His ball-handling is unmatched, his passing is top-notch, and he’s such a good shooter that he can carry the offense when the rest of the team is off. Nas still put up almost 17 points while dishing 11 assists each game. He is a defensive liability though so he might have trouble in Porter’s new system. Raja Bell should love Porter though since he is an excellent defender who can also bury the outside shot. The over/under win total set for the Phoenix Suns is 46.5.

This Sun bench has quite a bit of talent, with the main force being Leandro Barbosa. He is one of the top sixth men in the league and would be starting on a variety of clubs. Last year he averaged 15.6 points while logging 29.5 minutes per game. He is also athletic enough to guard top perimeter players.

Matt Barnes comes over from Golden State as the perfect player for Porter. He is a hustler who does the little things well. Boris Diaw provides a little depth behind O’Neal and Stoudemire. He is a good passer who contributes 8.8 points per game.

There are high expectations for the young Goran Dragic. He is learning the ropes from Nash and will one day be the man running the show at the point.

Final Analysis

The Suns will be an interesting team to watch this year as they try to make the switch to a more defensive minded squad. So for our NBA predictions on this team we are seeing a few hiccups coming early, but with the amount of talent this team has they will still make the playoffs. Getting past the first round though might be a challenge.

Make sure you sign up for our NBA picks to have the best chance of winning with your NBA betting this winter. Our handicappers break down the daily NBA lines and find the game worth a wager.

Get free NBA picks each day here at Locksmith Sports!

If you liked this article, you may also be interested in: