Suns favored in first-round playoff series against Minnesota

• Minnesota had its second-best season in franchise history and is the higher seed, but betting odds slightly favor the Suns to win the series.

State of play: The team is healthy, including its big three of Bradley Beal, Devin Booker and Kevin Durant.

• After starting the season with high hopes and a revamped roster, the Suns were plagued by injuries and struggled to keep up in a stacked Western Conference early on.
• But things picked up midway through the season, and the Suns ended the season on a high note, going 7-3 in a brutal 10-game closing stretch against other playoff teams.

Zoom in: The Timberwolves have been dominant on defense all season, allowing an NBA-best 106.5 points per game.

• Minnesota's defense is anchored by big men Karl-Anthony Towns and three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert.

Between the lines: Phoenix is 3-0 against the Timberwolves this year, including a win last Sunday to end the regular season.

What's next: Whoever wins the Suns-Timberwolves matchup will face the winner of the first-round series between the defending champion Denver Nuggets and the Los Angeles Lakers.

Flashback: Since falling short in the NBA Finals in 2021, the Suns have struggled in the playoffs and the last two seasons ended in gut-wrenching fashion.

• In 2022, the underdog Dallas Mavericks obliterated the Suns in Game 7 of the second round.
• The Nuggets routed Phoenix in Game 6 of the second round last year on the way to their first championship in franchise history.