Who: Phoenix Suns (3-4) @ Golden State Warriors (4-3)
When: 8:00pm Arizona Time
Where: Chase Center, San Francisco, California
Watch: Suns+, Arizona’s Family 3TV, Arizona’s Family Sports
Listen: KMVP 98.7,
KSUN
After an exhilarating and unexpected win over the San Antonio Spurs, the Suns roll into a week packed with Pacific Division matchups, starting Tuesday night in San Francisco against the Golden State Warriors. At this point, I don’t know what to expect. Maybe that’s the point. Expect the unexpected.
The early read on this Suns team is chaos with purpose. They thrive in disruption. Execution slips at times, sure, but this isn’t a group that folds or fades when things get messy. They stay in the fight.
And the Warriors? They’ll swing back.
Golden State’s already notched solid wins against the Lakers, Nuggets, Grizzlies, and Clippers. But they’ve dropped their last two to Eastern Conference opponents, the Bucks and Pacers. So both teams enter this one looking to recalibrate, and maybe throw the first punch. And with players like Draymond Green and Dillon Brooks, that could be literal. Of course, Brooks would have to be slated to play, which he is not.
Probable Starters
Injury Report
Suns
- Ryan Dunn – PROBABLE (Left Knee Contusion)
- Isaiah Livers – QUESTIONABLE (Right Hip Contusion)
- Dillon Brooks – OUT (Core Muscle Strain)
- Jalen Green – OUT (Right Hamstring Strain)
Warriors
- Al Horford — OUT (Left Toe)
- De’Anthony Melton— OUT (Left ACL)
- Alex Toohey — OUT (Left Knee)
- Jimmy Butler — QUESTIONABLE (Lower Back)
What to Watch For
You can expect plenty of threes flying in this one. The Suns rank third in the NBA with 307 attempts from deep, while the Warriors sit right behind them with 295. Golden State hits 38% of theirs, good for 10th in the league. The Suns sit at 37.5%, one spot lower. Two teams that love to let it fly.
Add in the fact that three of the top five players in made threes — Steph Curry, Royce O’Neale, and Grayson Allen — are all in this matchup, and you can bet the long ball will be the main attraction.
Key to a Suns Win
There’s more to think about when you’re facing a team like Golden State. They’re the second-oldest team in the league at 28.8 years on average, and they play at the 19th-fastest pace. The Suns sit at 13th, so there’s a real chance to lean into one of their early strengths this season: getting out and running.
That said, it hasn’t all been clean. The Suns are 29th in the NBA with 17.3 turnovers per game. Those mistakes have led to opponents scoring 18.9 fast break points a night, fifth most in the league. So the mission is clear. Play fast, but play smart. Don’t run for the sake of running. Control the ball, take care of possessions, and stay true to who you are on offense.
On defense, keep that edge. Keep being the irritant. Keep getting under opponents’ skin. That identity is forming, and it’s something this team should keep building on.
Prediction
I’m allowing myself to live in the moment tonight, to ignore logic and lean into hope. Because honestly, on the road in Golden State against a veteran team, the Suns probably shouldn’t win this one. And they probably won’t. But I’ll let the optimist in me breathe a little.
The Suns are built to annoy. To get under your skin. To make you uncomfortable. If they can rattle the Warriors, if Jordan Ott’s direction and schemes hit right, there’s a world where this thing breaks their way. So yeah, I’m rolling with it. The Suns pull this one out.
Suns 119, Warriors 115
