Breaking Down the Suns 15 Game Winning Streak and How it is Happening

The Phoenix Suns had just completed a 15 game win streak before they lost to the Washington Wizards thank to a brilliant game by Gilbert Arenas who had 41 points. The winning streak begs the question, How have the Phoenix Suns been so successful and can they keep it up?

Coming into this season there were two teams, the Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs who were at the top of the Western Conference. Now the Phoenix Suns are trying to cement their place in the Western Conference elite as well. The reason why the Suns have been so successful is because Steve Nash, who won the Most Valuable Player award in back to back years, is continuing the play like the league's most valuable player should. Amare Stoudamire is finally healthy and the team has a good balance of offense and while their defense needs to improve a lot, the Suns have shown that they can beat team by outscoring them, much like they did last year. Do I think that the Suns have what it takes to win a championship? I still doubt it. Both the Mavericks and Spurs play solid defense and can score and the Suns lack that balanced approach because they don't play touch defense. Until they learn to do that, they will have trouble against tough defensive teams in the Western Playoffs like the Rockets, Spurs and Mavericks.

Suns coach Mike D'Antoni has done a great job of easing Amare Stoudamire back into the lineup after he was out for the past year with a leg injury. Stoudamire was an All Star player before he was injured and Marion and Nash are a fearsome combination together. Nash continues to make the players around him better even as his supporting cast changes.

The Suns posses a lethal inside and outside attack with Marion posting up and shooting from the outside as well as Amare posting up and getting dunk passes from Steve Nash. Steve Nash has also shown his ability to drive to the hoop and open up the offense when he has needed to score for his team.