The Warriors are bringing a much different look into Phoenix tonight, and the biggest change is the one the Suns know best: Stephen Curry is back.
Curry, Draymond Green and Brandon Podziemski are all available after sitting out the first meeting between these teams on Oct. 24. Golden State was without that trio in its 131-122 loss to Phoenix, but the lineup picture is far healthier this time around after Curry and Green rested on the front end of a back-to-back in last night’s 124-112 win over the Los Angeles Clippers.
Golden State’s injury list is thinner overall, though it still has a few notable absences. Al Horford is out with bilateral low back injury management, Gui Santos is sidelined with left knee tendinitis, and Brandon Williams is questionable with a left quadriceps contusion. Jimmy Butler, Kristaps Porzingis and Moses Moody remain out for the Warriors, who are 4-3.
Phoenix also got some encouraging news on its injury report. Mark Williams and Drew Timme are the only players still listed as out for the Suns, who are 1-3.
The timing makes this a tricky spot for Phoenix. Golden State has won four straight since that first matchup, and the Warriors’ offense has been rolling behind a team that is shooting 40% from 3-point range and owns the NBA’s sixth-best offensive rating at 117.2.
The Suns, on the other hand, have dropped both of their games since facing Golden State and are still trying to settle into the version of themselves that worked so well last season. The numbers have been rough: Phoenix is giving up 43.9% shooting from beyond the arc, the worst mark in the league, and its 125.8 defensive rating is also last in the NBA.
That puts a lot of pressure on the Suns to slow down Curry, who is averaging 29.2 points per game while shooting 44% from 3-point range. They’ll also have to deal with rookie Yaxel Lendeborg, fresh off a career-high 37 points against the Clippers.
Another problem for Phoenix is the glass. Golden State, despite being a smaller team, is pulling down 14.9 offensive rebounds per game, second in the NBA. The Suns are allowing 14.8 offensive rebounds per game, which ranks second worst.
There were some signs of life in Phoenix’s 127-120 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Friday, and Oso Ighodaro’s return from a two-game absence because of an oblique strain helped the group look more connected. Even if he stays in a bench role, he could matter again tonight against a thinner Warriors center rotation.
Devin Booker is another name to watch. He scored 43 points in the first meeting, but his shot has deserted him over the last two games, and the Suns will need a much cleaner night from him if they’re going to keep pace with Golden State.
In Other News...
Suns Finally Get A Chance To Look Whole Against Warriors
For the first time in a while, the Suns are heading into a game with something close to a full deck. Mark Williams is the only player listed out ahead of the matchup with the Warriors, and Oso Ighodaro is back after missing time with an oblique strain and even got into the recent loss to the Nuggets. It is the kind of roster update Phoenix has been waiting for, especially after spending stretches piecing together lineups and trying to keep the rotation steady.
Collin Gillespie has already pointed to Ighodaros return as a lift for the way the team plays, which makes this a useful chance for Phoenix to see what the group can look like when it is closer to whole. The timing matters too, because the Warriors are the sort of opponent that can expose any lingering chemistry issues. For the Suns, this is less about one night and more about finally getting a clearer read on what the team can be when the availability report is mostly clean. [Read more 🡒]
Suns Already Face A Defensive Problem That Could Change Everything
The early returns have been rough for the Suns, and not just because of the 1-3 start. Through four games, Phoenix has given up 122 points or more every time out, a stretch that has put the defense under an immediate spotlight and left Dillon Brooks calling it the leagues worst. The problems have not been hard to spot, either, with rotations breaking down, switching coverages looking shaky and too many lapses away from the ball.
Phoenix has already spent practice time trying to clean it up, but the issues have carried into games anyway. For a team trying to settle into a rhythm, the defensive slippage is more than a short-term concern, since it is starting to affect the way the Suns play on both ends and forcing questions about which lineups can actually hold up. [Read more 🡒]