The Warriors have managed to keep their playoff hopes alive.
After a nail-biting 126-121 win over the Clippers, they now prepare to face the Suns in Phoenix for the final playoff position in the Western Conference, a game set for Friday night.
Meanwhile, the seventh-seeded Suns experienced a tough defeat at home against the Trail Blazers on Tuesday.
The victor of Friday’s matchup will get the chance to take on the reigning champion Thunder in the opening round of the NBA playoffs, which kick off Sunday in Oklahoma City.
Western Conference 9th place vs. 10th place NBA play-in game
Date and time: Friday, April 17th
Time: 7pm Pacific Time
Location: Mortgage Matchup Center, Phoenix
TV: Amazon Prime
Golden State Warriors vs. Phoenix Suns Breakdown
Warriors’ starting lineup (regular season stats)
G Stephen Curry: 27.0 ppg, 46.8 fg%, 39.2 3pt%
G Brandin Poziemski: 13.7 ppg, 5.2 reb, 3.8 ast
C Kristaps Porzingis: 16.8 ppg, 5.0 reb, 1.2 blk
F Draymond Green: 8.4 ppg, 5.5 ast, 5.5 reb
F Gui Santos: 9.3 ppg, 3.9 reb, 50.5 fg%
Sixth Man: F Al Horford: 8.3 ppg, 5.0 reb, 1.2 blk
The Suns’ starting lineup is expected to be ready by 5 p.m.
F Dillon Brooks: 20.2 ppg, 3.6 reb, 1.0 stl
C Mark Williams: 11.7 ppg, 8.0 reb, 64.4 fg%
G Devin Booker: 26.1 ppg, 6.0 ast, 8.1 fta (87.3 ft.%)
G Jordan Goodwin: 8.7 ppg, 4.9 reb, 2.2 ast
G Jalen Green: 17.8 ppg, 3.6 reb, 2.8 ast
Sixth Man: F Royce O’Neal: 9.8 ppg, 4.8 reb, 40.83pt%
Warriors X-Factor: Longevity of Star Players
Curry displayed significant star power with a 35-point game, playing a substantial 36 minutes, marking his longest stint since recovering from a knee injury.
Porzingis and Horford contributed notably in their initial win as well.
Can they maintain that kind of playing time again, maybe even more?
Suns X-Factor: Can Dillon Brooks Cause Issues?
Returning from a broken hand, Brooks poses a threat to the Warriors. That’s probably welcome news for the Suns.
Phoenix has a solid 32-24 record against Brooks, with his active defense making them one of the best teams in the NBA at forcing turnovers. They rank fourth in steals and have forced more turnovers than all but two teams this season.
Considering Brooks’ history with Golden State, this matchup is potentially troublesome for a Warriors team that has shown vulnerability. They’ve had the fourth-highest turnovers in the league, notably with four consecutive games last month where they committed 20 or more turnovers.
Who Has the Advantage?
Regular season records show the Suns at 45 wins and 37 losses, while the Warriors are 37 wins and 45 losses.
Recent performance: Suns are 5-5 in their last ten games; the Warriors are 3-7.
Offensive ratings: Suns 115.4 (16th), Warriors 115.0 (18th).
Defensive ratings: Suns 113.9 (10th), Warriors 115.6 (17th).
Quick Facts
- The Warriors depend heavily on their trio for scoring, averaging 44.1 points per game and 15.7 points from three-pointers (35.6%).
- On the flip side, the Suns excel in perimeter defense, holding opponents to just 34.7% from beyond the arc, the second-lowest in the league.
- Golden State boasts a strong 17-4 record when shooting at least 40% from deep.
- However, they struggle when committing more turnovers than their adversaries, holding a 14-25 record in those instances.
- With an average of 15.7 turnovers a game, the Warriors are among the top turnover-prone teams.
- Phoenix stands out, ranking fourth in steals, forcing opponents to turn the ball over an average of 16.3 times per game.
Season Series: Warriors Hold the Edge 3-1
Nov. 4: Warriors 118, Suns 107
Dec. 18: Suns 99, Warriors 98
Dec. 20: Warriors 119, Suns 116
Feb. 5: Warriors 101, Suns 97
Postseason History
Historically, the Suns have been one of the few Western Conference teams that Warriors couldn’t easily overcome at various points during their dynasty. They’ve met in the playoffs three times, last in 1994 when stars like Charles Barkley and Chris Mullin faced off.
Phoenix has triumphed in all three playoff matchups against Golden State.
In more recent encounters, Brooks has been instrumental, having played a crucial role on the Grizzlies during the Warriors’ title run in 2022. He was also with the Rockets team that Golden State defeated in the first round last year.
