The Phoenix Suns’ dream season came up just short on Tuesday night, but NBA betting markets expect them to be back in the championship hunt in 2022. Despite their 105-98 loss to the Bucks in Game 6 of the NBA Finals - a game that crowned the Bucks for the first time since 1971 – the Suns will enter next season with the fifth-best NBA odds to win the championship at +1300 with DraftKings .

With Arizona sports betting on the way, potentially in time for the start of the 2021-22 NBA season, it’s something to consider for Arizona-based Suns fans who weren’t able to back their team’s success at sportsbooks and betting sites this season.

And optimism surrounding the Suns next season isn’t all that surprising after the team reeled off 51 wins - in a 72-game season, equivalent to a 58-win season in a normal year - and ran through the Western Conference (albeit an injured one), going 12-4 on their way to the Finals, and then holding a 2-0 Finals lead on the Bucks.

Safely assuming Chris Paul either opts into his $44 million player option or signs an extension in Phoenix, the Suns will run it back next year with their six leading scorers from their historic season - and that doesn’t even include the team’s last two first-round draft picks in Cameron Johnson and Jalen Smith.

While it’s far too early to speculate on what the Suns’ offseason will look like, they’ll have opportunities to improve a roster that looks incredibly promising for veteran free agents in search of a title chase. Offseason additions could be key, as their main rivals for the championship are all juggernauts. The Brooklyn Nets ( +200 at DraftKings ), L.A. Lakers ( +525 ), Milwaukee Bucks ( +900 ), and Golden State Warriors ( +1300 ) all boast elite talent at multiple positions. But the Suns are an intriguing play on your betting app heading into the 2021-22 season.

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Were The Suns Lucky, Good, Or Both?

There are two schools of thought around the Suns' 2022 NBA title odds. On the one hand, everything broke right for them in 2021. Paul was the perfect fit and played like an All-NBA player in his first season with Phoenix. On the other hand, he’ll be 37 years old at the end of next season and will surpass 45,000 career minutes. Father Time is undefeated for a reason.

The Suns – despite those who want to deny it – also got lucky from an injury perspective. They didn’t have to face Anthony Davis the final three games of the Lakers series, and they missed Jamal Murray (ACL) in the Denver series and Clippers star Kawhi Leonard (ACL) in the Western Conference Finals. Will they get that kind of injury fortune again?

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They still played outstanding basketball and were the West champs for a reason, but their path to get there surely won’t be as easy in 2022. Then again, Deandre Ayton and Devin Booker made incredible leaps during the postseason and are only getting better at ages 22 and 24, respectively. The Suns are very good, and they should only get better next year.

Young talent in Johnson (25), Smith (21) and Mikal Bridges (24) gives this young core plenty of opportunity to improve on what’s already an incredibly talented roster. This is just the beginning for the Suns.

Check out the best NBA picks out there, available from our team of handicappers at bookiesEdge.