Suns' Play-In Odds Grow After Win vs Mavericks

After a very disappointing season, the Phoenix Suns' play-in chances are finally looking brighter with 18 games to go.

With Sunday's 125-116 win over the Dallas Mavericks, the Suns moved to 1.5 games back of Dallas for the No. 10 seed, which is the final play-in spot. They also clinched the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Mavericks, finishing the season series with a 3-1 record.

Phoenix now sits at 30-34 on the year, while the Mavericks fell to 32-33.

The Suns still face an uphill climb the rest of the regular season with the No. 1 most difficult remaining schedule in the league.

However, the Mavericks are in an even worse spot with Kyrie Irving tearing his ACL last week and uncertain timetables on the injuries of Anthony Davis (adductor strain), Daniel Gafford (knee sprain), Dereck Lively II (ankle fracture) and P.J. Washington Jr. (ankle sprain).

Here is how the full Western Conference play-in picture now looks after the Suns' victory over the Mavericks:

7. Minnesota Timberwolves (36-25)

8. Los Angeles Clippers (34-29)

9. Sacramento Kings (33-29)

10. Dallas Mavericks (32-33)

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11. Phoenix Suns (30-34)

12. Portland Trail Blazers (28-36)

The Suns have a lot of ground to make up if they want to get higher than the No. 10 seed, but this last spot now appears to be theirs if everything goes right based on the Mavericks' circumstances.

Phoenix will play the Kings two more times, so the Suns could also close the gap with Sacramento by winning these matchups.

As the standings currently are, if Phoenix does clinch this No. 10 seed, it would travel to play the No. 9 Kings and the winner of this game would move on to play the loser of the No. 7 Timberwolves and No. 8 Clippers.

Whoever wins this second matchup would play the No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder in the opening round of the playoffs.

The Suns are back in action Monday night against the Memphis Grizzlies.