It’s been a bad start to the season for the Warriors and the Suns. Both teams got blown out by Western Conference opponents on opening night, and Golden State followed that up with a crushing loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. One of these teams has to get back on track; let’s see which can put up their first win of the season.
The Suns enter as 9.5-point home favorites with the game total set at 221.5 points on DraftKings Sportsbook. Let’s get into my prediction and best bet for this Western Conference matchup.
Warriors vs. Suns Preview
The Warriors have only played two games this year, but it feels like the sky is coming down. On top of their existing injuries, starting center Kristaps Porzingis missed the season opener and is seemingly contemplating retirement as he navigates a POTS diagnosis. They got boatraced in their season-opening game against the Lakers, looking like the old team they are. It was a bad, bad sign for a team that had the quietest offseason in the NBA.
Things were looking up in Game 2. In a battle with the scrappy young Memphis Grizzlies, the Warriors held a 12-point lead inside the last five minutes, looking especially comfortable on defense. But the offense fell apart, surrendered a 12-0 run and let the Grizzlies snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. It was especially painful on the front end of a back-to-back; this veteran Warriors team cannot go full tilt for two nights in a row.
The injury report is taking a significant toll on Saturday night. Jimmy Butler, Moses Moody, and Porzingis remain out; Brandin Podziemski and Al Horford are also sidelined; and Steph Curry and Draymond Green are doubtful. If they’re all ruled out, the six highest-paid players on the roster will be out, and over $192 million in salary will be sidelined. Who knows where the Warriors go from here?
The Suns aren’t in as much of an existential crisis as the Warriors, but their 124-83 opener loss to the Trail Blazers didn’t inspire hope. A lot of the veterans were visibly upset with the result, and they’ve surely circled this date on the calendar to flip the script.
Phoenix’s stars will start the turnaround. Devin Booker had a solid offensive game in the opener, but Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green struggled, combining for 20 points on 8-of-23 shooting. With Collin Gillespie unable to provide any relief, Phoenix had no chance of catching up offensively.
It’s going to be a defensive battle on Saturday night. All of Golden State’s best offensive players could be out, except rookie Yaxel Lendeborg, who will carry a heavy load on Saturday. Phoenix needs to avoid easy mistakes and giving up open looks; make them work for every shot, and they won’t get many. The Warriors will sell out to get the ball out of Booker’s hands, and the other Suns will have to make them pay for the disrespect.
Now that we know these two teams a bit better, who will take home the win?
Warriors vs. Suns Best Bet
I can’t see a world where the Warriors’ offense gets going on Saturday. The offense has been bad so far, and that’s with Steph Curry at the helm. Without him, the Suns’ game plan simplifies immensely: they will drill down on Lendeborg and grind their half-court offense to a stop. The Warriors’ spiral continues, while the Suns get back on track.
