Tracking 40, Week 23: The Phoenix Suns were given a test and failed spectacularly

This was the week that would define the Phoenix Suns. Momentum was finally on their side entering Week 23, but the challenge ahead was different. The competition was about to rise, and with it, the questions loomed: Could the Suns meet the moment? Would they ride their recent surge and solidify their place in the playoff race? Or would the weight of elite competition expose them once again?

In Week 23, not much had changed in terms of rotations. Head coach Mike Budenholzer stayed committed to his starting five, the group that had given him the most consistency. There were no major shake-ups, no late-season gambles, no Bradley Beal reintegration to throw off the balance. The formula remained…