Some have paralleled the Cardinals experience this year as holding hope for the Suns. As you know, the Cardinals success this post-season followed a 7-47 loss to the Patriots just one month ago. Therefore, losing by 30 in January need not have any bearing in April.
While I don't weigh the Boston loss too heavily, it does shock me that it really means to me that the Suns are not contenders this year. While I might have already known that intellectually, I haven't dealt with it emotionally. It's like when you know your child is a serial killer, but haven't seen the dead bodies. You can live in the dreamy haze of not knowing and hoping for the best. You have no proof your child is a monster, and your child might be the most wonderful gift the planet has ever received. But now I've seen the dead bodies.
Upsets are possible in the NFL's single game elimination playoffs, but are less likely in the 7-game NBA series. I may be completely wrong, but I don't know if any NBA champion has lost by 30 (ok, 17, but it should have been like 35) in its championship year. Has it ever happened? If it has, start with the 2006 Miami team with Shaq....