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Last season the Phoenix Suns weren’t supposed to be an elite team, yet they won 54 games and went to the Western Conference Finals.

When it came time to re-sign Amar’e Stoudemire over the summer, the Suns balked at his asking price and their long-time All-Star big man left for New York and the Knicks.

Replacing Stoudemire hasn’t been easy and after some initial missteps (Josh Childress and Hedo Turkoglu), the Suns have gotten solid play from former Orlando Magic center Marcin Gortat.

Although at 36-34 the Suns won’t near last year’s record, they still have a chance to make the playoffs with a dozen games left on the schedule.

The trick will be catching at least two of the three teams above in the standings (New Orleans Hornets, Memphis Grizzlies and Houston Rockets).

The Hornets and Rockets may be the best bet for Phoenix.  The Suns play the Hornets twice and with a sweep would own the head-to-head tie-breaker, which they already have over the Rockets.

The key for Phoenix is to win just about every game which is why they gave the Los Angeles Lakers such a fight earlier in the week in their epic triple-overtime loss.  The following night they raced back home to rally late and overtake the Toronto Raptors despite weary legs.

The Suns play the Hornets on Friday night.  Also on the schedule are difficult opponents like the Dallas Mavericks (twice), Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs (twice) and Chicago Bulls.

No, the schedule is not favorable including a five-game road trip with the first three spread out over four nights.

The Hornets won’t have it easy with the Lakers, Portland Trail Blazers, Memphis Grizzlies (twice) and Dallas Mavericks but they have a better pace and more home games.

The Rockets will draw the Miami HEAT, Philadelphia 76ers, San Antonio Spurs, Atlanta Hawks and Dallas Mavericks.

The Suns will benefit from Houston hosting New Orleans in April, so at least one of the two clubs is guaranteed another loss.

The Grizzlies have the tie-breaker over the Suns and the easiest schedule of the lot.

Given the Phoenix difficult path Phoenix will need to navigate the next few weeks, the playoffs may not happen.

In all honesty, they probably won’t but the Suns have already shown this week that they’ll give it their all to try.

The fact that Amar’e and the Knicks will make the playoffs, potentially with fewer wins than the Suns doesn’t make any of this any easier.

Brooks Still Trying to Fit In

The Suns had to initially adjust to life without Amar’e – then Jason Richardson and Turkoglu were gone with Vince Carter, Mickael Pietrus and Gortat coming in.  Aaron Brooks was also a late acquisition.

Brooks was a star for the Rockets the past couple of years but an ankle injury and the emergence of Kyle Lowry made him expendable in Houston.

Steve Nash is still Steve Nash, averaging 11.4 assists a game while shooting 50.5% from the field, 40.6% from three and 90.9% from the arc.  He’s older but no worse than any of his MVP years.

The difficulty has been trying to integrate so many new players while fully immersed in the season itself.

"I don’t think you can really do that until you’ve had guys in training camp," said Coach Alvin Gentry.  "I think they’ve done the best job they’ve could.  I think Gortat and those guys have really tried to fit in but when you change a team twice, it’s a tough adjustment for the players to figure out what their roles are.  I think that’s the big thing with guys.  They like to know and to be able to have consistency in what you’re trying to do."

Brooks has nothing but positive things to say about Gentry.

"He’s a player’s coach," said Brooks.  "He wants you to shoot when you’re open.  When it comes down to X’s and O’s, he always seems to come up with the right play at the right time."

Aaron has been searching for a way to contribute, playing behind (and on occasion, next to Nash).

"We’re not a typical NBA team," said Gentry.  "We play with pace.  We have a point guard who does a lot of what, I guess you would call it, freelance stuff.  You have to have a feel for what’s going on in the game.  Those guys have done a pretty good job of adjusting for that but I still think it takes more than 20-25 games to be able to do that."

After an inconsistent stretch, including a one-game suspension for throwing a ball that hit an official, Brooks has been strong the past two games averaging 20 points and 5.5 assists.

"Nash is perfect at running it.  He’s had years to perfect it.  I’m just learning on the fly here," said Brooks.  "I’m just trying to figure out what works best, how to get everyone the ball in order to be successful, how to incorporate my game into the offense.  At times it works at times it’s a struggle but I’m getting better at it."

Aaron is confident his team will be there in the end.

"We just need to go on a little win-streak," said Brooks.  "That would be nice and ride that into the playoffs."

Playing with Nash is a learning experience for the former Rocket but some of what Steve does is wholly unique.

"You try to watch him.  It’s difficult though.  Some stuff he makes look so easy, it isn’t as easy when you’re out there," said Brooks.  "It’s just natural, instincts.  How he sees guys, I don’t see it like that sometimes."

After this season, Brooks will be a restricted free agent.  Nash will be heading into the final year of his contract ($11.7 million) and only $4 million of Vince Carter’s $18.3 million is guaranteed.

Add in the possibility of a long-term lockout and the future for the Suns is very hard to predict . . .

Dudley a Winner

One player the team has committed to long-term is role player Jared Dudley, whose contract was extended at the start of the season.

The 6’7" guard/forward is averaging a career-high 9.6 points a game while shooting over 40% from three for the second straight year.

"He’s great.  He’s one of those guys, I just think he’s a winner.  He can impact the game by having four points off the bench,"  said Gentry.  "He’s almost like a utility infielder that you can play at first base or shortstop or wherever you need to play him.  He’s been really good.  I’ve played him even as a four-man some against guys that have been much, much bigger and he’s been able to do OK in that department also."

When the Orlando trade initially went through, the Suns needed live bodies while players were waiting for physicals to clear.  Dudley stepped into the starting lineup and put up 27 points on the Spurs and 33 on the Miami HEAT.

"Opportunity.  It was an opportunity for me.  I started.  I got good looks and on this team if you’ve got it going early, coach is going to get more plays to you," said Dudley.  "I’m starting to get more opportunities with [Nash].  The more minutes you play with Steve . . . you’re going to get better looks.  You’re going to get more opportunities, so that’s all that did."

Despite that stretch, Jared was happy to return to the bench.

"I believe in the role.  The coaching staff will give you more if they see that you can do it," said Dudley.  "For this team right now, I’m supposed to be a good sixth/seventh man. If someone’s not here, pick it up.  I think it was [a few] games ago I had 25 in New Orleans, so it depends on the given night and what the team needs.

"Obviously the goal for me is to be a starter.  You never want to limit yourself," continued Dudley.

Jared was initially drafted by the Charlotte Bobcats (23rd pick in 2007), coming over the Suns with Jason Richardson in 2008.  He started just one game for the Suns last year and four so far this season.

"As the sixth man, the seventh man . . . I try not to force things because in our offense," said Dudley.  "The defense dictates who scores (who is helping and who is not).  I try to be as aggressive as I can.  Anytime I can hit that three ball, the one-dribble pull-up to get in the lane, helps me out a lot."

Jared was hardly a three-point shooter when he came in as a rookie (22.0% from behind the arc).  Now he’s a high-volume, dependable outside option. {AUTHOR_BOX}

"I’m only in my fourth year and I’m starting now to get the hang of this league," said Dudley.  "Every year, I’ve shown I can do a little bit more – so I played more, I’ve gotten more opportunities.  Last year I didn’t have any plays drawn up for me.  This year I have three or four.  I need to keep working.  Summertime is always big for me to keep changing my body, keep working on my game so when I get in the season I’m ready to go.

"Two years ago it was the three-point shot," said Dudley.  "This summer was the one-dribble pull-up and getting lighter.  I was down on my weight and then it helped me guarding, playing more minutes.  Next year will be developing the body even more.  A little more ball-handling, coming off screens, I think I can add that to my game."

While Jared doesn’t necessarily think he’ll be the number one option on a team, he feels he can eventually be an even greater contributor.

"In the future, I don’t think I’ll ever be a guy who you feature," said Dudley, "But I think I could be a really good third option later down the road."

Friday night against the Suns will be the first of many "must-win" games followed by the Mavericks on Sunday.

For Phoenix, every game at this point is must-win.

Gordon Comes Through

The Washington Wizards have won just one road game all season but they fought like mad on Wednesday night in Los Angeles only to lose to the Clippers in double-overtime.

Guard Eric Gordon, recently back from multiple wrist injuries, proved once again that he’s growing into the clutch end-game player the Clippers so desperately need.

With under six seconds left and the Clippers down three, Gordon nailed a three to force the second session.

LA would win 127-119, behind Blake Griffin’s first career triple-double (33 points, 17 rebounds and 10 assists). 

Gordon finished with 32 points and while LA won’t make the playoffs this season, they’re still looking to win as many games as they can (currently 28-44).

The Cleveland Cavaliers will get the Clippers’ 2011 pick in the draft regardless of position, so it’s not like LA has any incentive to tank down the stretch.

That pick is what it took for the Clippers to move Baron Davis.

Beyond the other factors, like how Davis wouldn’t show up to camp in shape and never lived up to the team’s expectations, Davis was never a great fit with Gordon.

With Baron’s late start to the current season (thanks to knee soreness), Gordon had established himself as the team’s go-to perimeter player.

While Eric needs to work on his handle in traffic, over time he has gradually emerged as the Clippers  closer.

In Davis’ place is Mo Williams, more of a natural shooter who has experience playing off the ball.

"Baron, he was more of a guy who liked to bring it down and almost for the home run type of guy," said Gordon.  "He was a really good passer.  He’s a guy who will always go for the home run.  They’re two different players.  [Mo's] more of a catch and shoot.  Baron is more creative."

Long-term, however, Gordon hopes to develop into an NBA point guard (or at worst a ball-dominant two like Dwyane Wade).

Once Baron returned, Eric had to readjust to playing without the ball.

"I would say, now without a doubt, I have the ball in my hands – for sure, without a doubt.  Towards late game situations," said Gordon.  "With Baron, you just never knew.  That’s why I said home run.  He might take the last shot.  He likes making the last play."

Now the Clippers are Gordon’s team on the outside and Griffin’s on the inside.

The Clippers visit the Lakers on Friday night at STAPLES Center.