Game: Phoenix Suns @ Golden State Warriors
Time: 10:00 p.m.
Odds: Suns +4.5, Warriors -4.5
Total: 238.5
For the third straight game, the Golden State Warriors will avoid an opposing superstar. The Warriors avoided Milwaukee star Giannis Antetokounmpo on Saturday due to an injured right hand and the Suns went on to beat the Bucks 125-116 in overtime. Now, Golden State will host Phoenix who will be without Kevin Durant.
The Warriors also avoided Ja Morant when they faced Memphis last Thursday. Morant’s absence didn’t matter much as the Grizzlies pounded the Warriors 131-110. On Saturday, it was Stephen Curry who made the difference for the Warriors. He scored nine points in the overtime period after scoring 11 in the final 1:51 of the fourth quarter to force the extra session.
Following his February trade deadline acquisition from the Brooklyn Nets, Durant injured his left ankle during pregame warmups for the Suns’ home opening last Wednesday. Due to a pre-existing knee injury, Durant missed his first six Suns games. In March thus far, Durant helped Phoenix win three straight games on the road by averaging 26.7 points per contest. Durant missed an earlier trip to face the Warriors in January when he was still with the Nets.
Before losing 128-119 to the visiting Sacramento Kings on Saturday night, the Suns defeated Oklahoma City for the fourth time in a row despite seeing Durant hobble off the court before the game. They will now face the Bucks and Warriors in consecutive games. Milwaukee travels to Phoenix on Tuesday night.
Both teams will be motivated to pick up a win. The Suns enter tonight’s game with a 2.5-game lead over Golden State in the Western Conference standings. Phoenix is currently fourth with the Warriors fifth. If the Suns finish fourth, they will earn home court advantage in the first-round of the playoffs.
Phoenix already has the season series won after defeating the Warriors 125-113 in its previous trip to San Francisco and by 29 and 11 points in earlier home games. Those games were before Durant. Curry was harassed by Suns defensive stalwart Mikal Bridges, who kept Curry to 24 or fewer points in eight of his previous 11 matches with Phoenix. Bridges was a part of the trade that brought Durant to Phoenix.
Curry, who turns 35 on Tuesday, played 43 minutes in the overtime win over Milwaukee. It’s entirely possible that he sits out tonight, but nothing has indicated such a move yet. The Warriors are 6-3 SU and ATS in their last nine games. They have covered their last seven home games in a row.
The Suns are 4-1 SU and ATS in their last five games. They are also 4-1 SU in their last five games against Golden State. The Over has cashed in four of the last five Phoenix games. The Under is 7-3 in Golden State’s last 10 games. In the series between the Suns and Warriors, four of the last five games have gone Over the total.
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