The Phoenix Suns (38-37) head to Golden State to play the Warriors (61-13) in a game that will likely be up tempo. The game starts at 10:30 pm ET on Thursday, Apr. 2 and will air on TNT and CSN-BA.
The Warriors were victorious over the Clippers 110-106 on Tuesday. Stephen Curry was the team’s high scorer with 27 points on 8-for-15 shooting. The Suns, meanwhile, are coming off an ugly 109-86 loss at the hands of the Trail Blazers on Monday. T.J. Warren stood out for Phoenix, recording 13 points, two blocks, and one steal.
Over the last five games, Curry has been playing at a high level for the Warriors. During that stretch, he has averaged 29.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, 7.2 assists, 1.6 steals, and 5.6 three-pointers.
There should be plenty of transition action in this game. The Warriors rank first in the league in possessions per game (101.1), while the Suns are second (100.4).
The Warriors have won two out of three against the Suns this season, including a 98-80 blowout in their last matchup. Curry was the game’s leading scorer with 36 points.
Oddsmakers have deemed this game an even matchup and the Over/Under (O/U) is currently unavailable. The Warriors are attempting to build on their records of 61-13 Straight Up (SU) and 45-28-1 Against The Spread (ATS). They are 9-1 ATS over their last 10 games. The Warriors come into the game with the top-ranked scoring offense in the league, averaging 109.8 points per game. Golden State is excellent from the perimeter, shooting a league-high .397 from three-point range. Few teams in the league have a higher assist-to-turnover ratio than Golden State, which ranks second at 1.93. Turning to the defensive side, the offenses have been stifled by the Warriors, who allow an NBA-low field goal percentage of only .424. The Warriors are third in the league in steals with 9.4 per game. If its opponents turn the ball over, Golden State has shown that it knows how to capitalize. They average 19.6 points off turnovers, making them the top team in the league for that category.
On the other side, the Suns head into the game with records of 37-35-3 ATS and 38-37 SU. In divisional games, Phoenix has gone 6-8 SU and 6-7-1 ATS. During the last 10 games, they averaged 94.7 PPG, below their 103.5 PPG season average. Phoenix’s defense has allowed an average of 96.1 points per game during the last 10 games, lower than their season average of 103.6.
Following the Warriors’ latest win over Phoenix, their SU record rises to 7-3 over the Suns in the last 10 meetings. The teams have an even record ATS, 5-5. Golden State has held the edge in three key areas (field goals, rebounds, and three-pointers) three times over the last 10, while Phoenix accomplished this twice.
Predictions: SU Winner – GS, ATS Winner – GS
Notes
The Phoenix Suns are among the highest-scoring squads, earning an average of 103.5 points per game (ranked fifth), while the Golden State Warriors are in the top half of NBA teams in points allowed with 99.0 (ranked 14th).
Golden State has allowed an average of 97.3 points per home game this season. Phoenix averages 104.0 points per away game, placing the team fifth in scoring.
Golden State has a perfect 40-0 record when opponents score fewer than 100 points. The Suns do not fare well when they score under 100, earning a 6-22 record in such games.
The Warriors have a 21-13 record when they allow at least 100 points. The Suns have also performed well when they reach the century mark with a record of 32-15 in such games.
The Suns have a defensive rating of 103.2 (ranked 18th). The Warriors rank second for their offensive rating of 108.6.
On average, Golden State has 101.1 possessions per game and scores 1.086 points on each possession. Phoenix has both fewer possessions (100.4) and scores fewer points during those possessions (1.031).
Golden State is among the top-ranked teams based on its average effective field goal percentage of 54.0% (ranked first in the NBA). Phoenix is an abysmal 3-11 when opponents have a similar or higher effective field goal percentage.
The second-ranked team, Golden State has an assist to turnover ratio of 1.93 this season. Phoenix ranks lower at 28th with an A/TO of 1.38.
The Warriors rank sixth in rebounds per game with 44.6, while the Suns rank 17th with 43.5 per game.
Golden State ranks among the best in the league in defensive rebounds at fourth, while Phoenix ranks a solid 13th in offensive rebounds.
On average, the Suns force a turnover rate of 15.1%, ranked ninth in the NBA. When the Warriors turn over the ball at a similar or higher rate, the team has a superb 19-5 record.
