The Phoenix Suns will play against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena on Sunday in the first of a back-to-back.

The Suns begin a key five-game homestand Monday against Toronto at PHX Arena. The Raptors beat them in Toronto last month, 127-109, as they closed the game hitting a 3 on seven consecutive possessions.

The Lakers will likely be without LeBron James, who has been out with a left groin strain and is due for a re-evaluation at some point this week.

After the back-to-back, Phoenix hosts Chicago Wednesday, Cleveland on Friday, Milwaukee on March 24 and the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics on March 26.

The have had the NBA’s best record for much of the season.

The meeting with Milwaukee marks the first time Suns coach Mike Budenholzer has coached against the Bucks, who fired him after losing in the first round of the 2023 playoffs.

The two-time NBA Coach of the Year has posted only two losing records in his 10 previous seasons as a head coach. He was 38-44 in his first year as an NBA head coach in Atlanta in 2013-14, and 24-58 in his final year with the Hawks in 2017-18.

Budenholzer didn’t coach last season. The Suns hired him to replace Frank Vogel, whom they fired after one season.

Phoenix went 49-33 under Vogel, but Minnesota swept the Suns in the first round of the 2024 playoffs. Budenholzer will finish with fewer wins than Vogel this regular season.

With 15 games remaining in what has been an underachieving season, Phoenix is competing for a play-in spot. The Suns last missed the playoffs in 2019-20.

Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin