Expect a fast-paced game when the Golden State Warriors (48-12) travel to Phoenix to play the Suns (33-31). The game starts at 10:00 pm ET on Monday, Mar. 9 and will air on CSN-BA and FSN-AZ.
The Suns were beaten by the Cavaliers 89-79 on Saturday. T.J. Warren played well for the Suns, finishing with eight points, five rebounds, and one steal. The Warriors, meanwhile, are coming off a 104-89 win over the Mavericks on Friday. Stephen Curry led the game in scoring with 22 points on 6-for-11 shooting.
Over the last five games, Draymond Green has been on fire for the Warriors. During that stretch, he has averaged 15.0 points, 10.4 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.6 steals, 2.2 blocks, and 2.2 three-pointers.
There should be plenty of transition action in this game. The Suns rank second in the league in possessions per game (100.9), while the Warriors are first (101.7).
The two teams have split their matchups this season. The Warriors had the upper hand in the most recent game, a blowout 106-87 win. Curry scored a game-high 25 points.
Oddsmakers have deemed this game an even matchup and the Over/Under (O/U) is unavailable at the moment. The Suns enter the game with records of 33-31 Straight Up (SU) and 33-28-3 Against The Spread (ATS). They have gone 6-6 SU and 6-5-1 ATS against teams from their own division. The Suns come into the game with the third-ranked scoring offense in the league, averaging 105.3 points per game. Phoenix has been steady from the free throw line, shooting a stellar .774. Something to watch out for is if Phoenix can force its opponents into turnovers and convert them into baskets. They’ve done an excellent job of that all year with an average of 18.4 points off turnovers per game.
On the other side, Golden State has a SU record of 48-12 and an ATS record of 35-24-1. In divisional games, Golden State has gone 8-3 SU and ATS. The Warriors are the number one overall scoring offense, averaging 109.9 points per game so far. The Warriors are shooting very well so far, with an NBA-best .390 field-goal percentage from the three-point line. The Warriors rarely make the wrong play with the ball. They have the second-best assist-to-turnover ratio in the league at 1.9. Switching gears to Golden State’s defense, it averages 9.4 steals per game, good for fourth in the league. A large part of Golden State’s game is creating turnovers and turning them into points. They are scoring 19.8 points per game off turnovers, which ranks third in the league. The Warriors are in for a physical game against Phoenix. The Suns are not afraid to send opponents to the free throw line, averaging 22.2 fouls per game.
Golden State won the last meeting this season between these two teams, moving its SU record against the Suns to 7-3 in their last 10 head-to-head meetings. The teams have an even record ATS, 5-5. Golden State topped the Suns in three key areas (field goals, rebounds, and three-pointers) three times over the last 10. Phoenix has had the edge in all categories twice.
Predictions: SU Winner – GS, ATS Winner – GS
Notes
Phoenix puts up an average of 105.3 points per game (ranked third). Golden State ranks 16th in points allowed per game with 99.7.
Phoenix allows 104.0 points at home this season. Topping the league in road scoring, Golden State scores 106.5 points in away games.
The Golden State Warriors sit undefeated (30-0) in games in which their opponent scores fewer than 100 points. Conversely, the Phoenix Suns have an underachieving 4-16 record when they don’t put up at least 100 points.
When the Golden State Warriors allow at least 100 points they are 18-12, while the Phoenix Suns are 29-15 when they reach the century mark.
The Suns have a defensive rating of 103.9 (ranked 20th), while the Warriors rank second for their offensive rating of 108.1.
The Golden State Warriors have one of the best field goal percentages this season, ranking first in the league with a FG% of 47.7%. When their opponents record a similar or higher FG%, the Phoenix Suns have a losing 5-13 record.
On average, Phoenix attempts 26.3 three pointers and Golden State attempts 27.3 per game. In games where the teams have 25 or more three point attempts, the Suns are 20-24 while the Warriors have a superb 35-9 record.
Golden State ranks near the top of the league in blocking at second (6.2 blocks per game). Phoenix is ranked 11th, with 4.9 blocks per game.
Phoenix ranks in the top half of the NBA in offensive rebounding at 14th, while Golden State ranks near the top of the league (third) in defensive rebounding.
Making 8.8 steals per game, Phoenix is ranked sixth in the NBA. Golden State has an outstanding 28-9 record when it gives up at least 8 steals.
