Great Season. Brutal End. Your 2021-22 Phoenix Suns.

This was a basketball bloodbath of epic proportions. And that's not even hyperbole.

Final score: Dallas Mavericks 123, Phoenix Suns 90 in Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals.

Yes, the Suns were the defending champions. Yes, they finished with the NBA's best record (64-18) this season. And yes, everyone sort of figured Chris Paul would get another shot to win his first ring.

That ended by, oh, about halftime -- when the Suns trailed by a 57-27 count!

There were so many things that are unreal about this game. When is the last time a No. 1 seed lost a Game 7 by 33 points at home? Or trailed by 46?

Yeah, how about never.

So anyone who watched this game until it's bitter end got to witness history. We hope for your sake you're not a Suns fan.
















By the way, the Suns were the only team to win at least 60 games this season. They led the NBA in home wins. They led the NBA in road wins.

They are now the second team in league history to finish with 64 or more wins to fail to reach the conference finals.

The other team? The 2006-07 Dallas Mavericks.

But that was then. This is now. And Luka Doncic is in the West finals for the first time after not getting out of the first round.

As for these Suns, well, they will go down in history. On the wrong side.









Written by
Sam Amico spent 15 years covering the NBA for Sports Illustrated, FOX Sports and NBA.com, along with a few other spots, and currently runs his own basketball website on the side, FortyEightMinutes.com.