But, for just these next few moments, let's try to appreciate the NBA regular season. After all, excellence over the course of an 82-game grind is nothing to scoff at, even if the playoffs don't go as you would have hoped.

The Phoenix Suns are done. It’ll be official April 13 when they end the 2024-25 regular season at Sacramento, but losing, 125-112, on Wednesday, April 9, to short-handed Oklahoma City ended their play-in tournament chances.

The Phoenix Suns, despite their star-studded roster and high expectations entering the season, have been officially eliminated from both the playoffs and Play-In Tournament, marking an end to the most embarrassing and disappointing season in NBA history.

Despite having the highest payroll in NBA history, the Suns (35-45) have been eliminated from play-in and playoff contention after a blowout loss to the Oklahoma City Wednesday night, marking their eight-straight loss in a total collapse down the stretch.

When the Phoenix Suns traded for Kevin Durant at the 2023 trade deadline, their championship odds jumped from +1800 to +450. Only the Boston Celtics had shorter odds. That team lost in the second round of the playoffs to the eventual champion Denver Nuggets,

The Phoenix Suns were eliminated from playoff contention after losing at home 125-112 on Wednesday night to the short-handed Oklahoma City Thunder.

While the Lakers punched their ticket to the postseason on Wednesday, another team saw its postseason hopes come to an end. The Phoenix Suns were eliminated after their loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Here's a look at the NBA standings following the Lakers' playoff clinch and Suns' elimination.

The Los Angeles Lakers took care of the Dallas Mavericks, 112-97, April 9, in Luka Doncic's return to keep Phoenix in the play-in chase. Doncic scored 45 points in his first game in Dallas since the blockbuster deal before the 2024-25 trade involving Anthony Davis sent him to the Lakers.

Since the All-Star break, the Suns have the second-worst defensive rating in the NBA (122.2), behind only the Raptors (122.9), who are actively trying to lose games and sitting their star player, Brandon Ingram, and others in an attempt to improve draft odds.

Find out if Kevin Durant will return to the Suns lineup to face his former team, the Oklahoma City Thunders, on Wednesday.