MINNEAPOLIS – The NBA playoffs are officially here after what was a tumultuous road for the Phoenix Suns.

Are you ready? Because his coach sure is.

“Yeah, they’re ready,” Suns head coach Frank Vogel said. “They’re ready. We were very thorough and detailed in preparing for these games. But we also set a tone for what the playoffs are about and what we’re trying to accomplish here by getting 16 wins.”

The Suns avoided the NBA Play-in Tournament and enter the 2024 postseason as the No. 6 seed and will face the No. 3 seed, the Minnesota Timberwolves, with Game 1 of the opening series on Saturday at 12 :30 pm Arizona. time.

It’s important to note that the Suns swept the T-Wolves in the regular season and hope to ride a similar wave of momentum as Minnesota looks to take advantage of playing on their home court.

However, the Timberwolves still rank as one of the best defensive teams in the league and there is a reason they had one of their best regular seasons in the last two decades.

But the Suns still have valuable experience on their side compared to Minnesota, including Kevin Durant, who is not included in any playoff scenario.

“Just know we’re going to make mistakes,” the Suns forward said. “But they are going to make difficult shots and we have to know that the referee could get in the way of the game. “Sometimes that’s just how basketball is, so if we keep our composure and stay together, we’ll be in good shape.”

This series will lead with physicality, as Minnesota has two great playmakers in Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns. Suns center Jusuf Nurkic said he enjoys the physical nature that the playoffs bring and knows it’s one of the keys to winning.

“I love it, as long as the refs know it,” Nurkic said. “I love it. It will be fun to see and experience after the season we’ve played. “I can’t really describe it, we’re just anxious to get ready.”

The most obvious advantage for the Suns is that they have the two best players in the series: Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. The two Team USA teammates have proven that they can put a team on their backs over the course of a series.

Meanwhile, the Suns, who have won 10 of their last 14 regular season games, will look to take what has been working best and show their strength against the Timberwolves.

“Every player in the league sees this moment as a time to maintain the habits they built all season and play even more freely knowing they worked all year,” Durant said. “It’s a relaxing time with all the work.” and the things you’ve put in over the years that you should feel comfortable with.”

Suns guard Bradley Beal missed several extended stretches of his debut season with the Suns due to injuries and played in only 53 games. Booker played in 68 while Durant scored in 75. But the group was together over the last 18 games and the scary truth for their opponent, the Suns finished 12-6.

Let’s hope Phoenix can keep that train rolling when they visit the Timberwolves for Game 1 this Saturday.

The city of Phoenix is ​​home to five major professional sports league teams; The Arizona Cardinals of the NFL, the Phoenix Suns of the NBA, the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA, the Arizona Diamondbacks of the MLB and the Arizona Coyotes of the NHL.

The Cardinals have made State Farm Stadium in Glendale their own home turf and the Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix is ​​home to the Suns and Mercury. The Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League play at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale. The Coyotes play at Mullett Arena on ASU’s Tempe campus.

Phoenix also has a soccer team with the USL’s Phoenix Rising FC, which plays at Phoenix Rising FC Stadium in Phoenix.

The Valley hosts several major sporting events annually, including college football’s Fiesta Bowl and Guaranteed Rate Bowl; the PGA Tour’s most attended event, the WM Phoenix Open; NASCAR events each spring and fall, including championship weekend in November; and Cactus League Spring Training for 15 Major League Baseball franchises.

Get the latest news and stories from 12Sports on the 12News YouTube channel. And don’t forget to subscribe!