Golden State Warriors vs Phoenix Suns: Keep your eyes glued to this game

This is the time to bet on who is going to win! Why is this so? Because two of the best teams in the league will turn up the electricity of the NBA world.

One of them, Golden State Warriors is the best record-holder and the other one is Phoenix Suns, a team that is yet to lose between a period in which Joel Embiid was absent for two weeks and has now played in two games for the 76ers. They have won 16 games in a row and have beaten tough teams too.

In this game, Phoenix Suns play host to the Golden State Warriors and see what they are all about. For the Total prediction of the game and the final prediction, check “Total” and “Expert Betting Tips” section.

Golden State Warriors: Need a book to define their schemes

This Golden State Warriors team has set a huge standard in the NBA right now. It is such a consistent unit that most of the wins have been by 10 or more points and the game pretty much decided before the last quarter. The team runs a lot of nuanced plays, uses some of the most gruelling inside-outside defenses and that is why they cruise through most nights

These are the reasons why this unit is so engrossing:

Blurring the position lines

In the NBA hierarchy, every position from Point Guard to Small Forward is built through some fundamental qualities. In Warriors, the team recognizes that and thus every one is well acquainted with their roles. The team has Draymond Green who plays like a wing and a big at the same time. Then we have Stephen Curry, whose defense and the way he sets the screen has been overlooked thanks to his offensive shenanigans. He plays like a guard, wing, and sometimes like a slashing Forward, he is one of the most versatile players in the league right now. It also means that the team also diminishes the way positions are defined, and their players can adapt to various roles, like the Curry example.

Their players share the basketball very well

Golden State Warriors rank number one in the assists by a long distance. They do commit around 15 turnovers a game but at the same, they are able to hand over around 30 assists, which makes the number of assists double than the amount of turnovers during many nights. With Curry and Green, you get two playmakers who can make passes through outstretched hands and in fastbreak situations too.

The Wiggins factor

One of the biggest reasons why Andrew Wiggins deserves a mention in the list is his work ethic and health. The typical wing player played in 71 out of 72 games last season and maintains the stunning run of playing so many games with appearances in all the games so far, amidst a Pandemic-induced situation. He has missed just one game in around a year now! That itself alone for someone who plays 30+ minutes regularly in this gruelling season and has produced around 20 points per game and plays elite defense makes him one of the best players in the league.

The defense is just too good

 Warriors perform an interesting mix of defense. First, they have quick legs in Green, Curry, Poole, Looney, Iguodala, Porter, Wiggins, and players like Looney perform their roles well considering how they quietly change the scheme of the game. Looney is someone whose impact can’t be measured in statistics alone. These five are especially superb at closeouts during defensive routines and that is why the defense has made them a more intimidating team. The Warriors have made it clear that defense is their agenda of the season and the Kerr-led unit has used their quick feet, athleticism, discipline, defensive smarts, and many other traits that make one an elite defensive unit. Warriors have held teams around 100 in most games and for a team that scores around 115-125 regularly, that is a huge achievement.

There are many points that make them a successful club but the section will run up to a massive number of pages without even touching the surface. The Warriors are number one in offensive efficiency, defensive efficiency, points allowed per game, second in points scored per game, number one in assists per game, number one in rebounds per game(!), and much more. They have the best record in the league!

Phoenix Suns: One of the most balanced teams

Chris Paul is a wizard

Veteran Point Guard Chris Paul is number three in the list of all-time in assists. He has surpassed jugglers like Magic Johnson, Steve Nash, Mark Jackson, Oscar Robertson, LeBron James, who are among the top ten ranks. Now, he is only behind Jason Kidd and John Stockton, and although Stockton is around 5,000 assists away(!),Kidd is just 1500 assists away and he can surpass Kidd if he continues at this rate for the next four-five years. Chris Paul is one of the best players in the world and it is time that he is counted among the greats for being so consistent and productive each season.

Suns: Before and after Chris Paul

Before he arrived to the Suns, the team was struggling to even reach the 41-win mark, but the team had 51 out of the 72 wins last season and will probably get around 65 this season. It isn’t like that it is just him who is responsible for this record but with him as the ball handles you get the highest quality set and that is why Chris Paul-led team have always been fighters, making the most of their roles and following directions by their platoon commander. During the 2021-22 season, Chris Paul is the only guard to average more than 10 assists per game and that should answer why they have won so many games in a row.

Suns are top ten in fewer turnovers per game

They have committed around just 13 a game and in turn, the team averages over 26 assists a game, being top five in that regard, of course, Chris Paul is a huge factor there as well but the team floats the ball around well on the perimeter.

Offensive charge

A team that completes a lot of assists, has few turnovers and can shoot well is certainly the most threatening type. The Suns shoot around 48.1%(season average) from the floor, which is the league’s best number by some distance. Thus, their offensive sets are too complicated to read and they can deploy both fast break style and the half-court styled basketball.

Imagine defending a team with an excellent facilitator, excellent scorer in Devin Booker, two excellent wing players in Bridges and Crowder while offering a superb paint player in Deandre Ayton. Booker has scored thirty of more points in the last three games, Paul gives 14-18 points regularly, Bridges has scored 12-16, Ayton has scored 16-21, off the bench the trio of Landry Shamet, Cameron Payne, and Cameron Johnson, contribute another 20 or as well while JaVale McGee is the type of Center who will fill the rebounding, block, and scoring column in a hurry.

Roles and defense

To meet the modern basketball approach of the “positionless basketball”, the Suns offer a throwback role-playing type of offense that does the fundamentals well on offense. The offense is also modern in that sense that a lot of threes are attempted but the ways in which the classic point guard, classic off-guard, classic-wings, classic-Center also reminds one of some of the best squads from the 80s and 90s.

The Suns have excellent defense, and one of the main reasons for that is the length and size of Crowder, Bridges, and Ayton who have long wingspans. Thus, there are a lot of outstretched hands at the team’s disposal. Booker and Paul are disciplined defenders with Paul also being a pesky perimeter defender. With Ayton you get superb clearouts and he can box-out well so defensive rebounds are plenty and the team earns more chances to generate the offensive output. The defense complements the offense well. Suns average around 9 steals a game and are top-six in that regard.

Total

Total Number of Points

The Warriors have scored 114.0 Points per game, only second to the Charlotte Hornets, who have 114.2 PPG. The Warriors have scored 105, 118, 116, 119, 105, in the last five games with one of those 105 points outings without Curry and Draymond.

The Suns have scored 112.6 PPG, which is the third best in the league average-wise. They have scored 113, 118, 120, 115, 126 points. The 113, 118 and 120 outings came against the Nets, Knicks, and Cavs, 110+ against three teams, who usually allow 100 or fewer points.

Total Number of Points Allowed

The Warriors allow 100.4 points per game, restricting teams to a mere 41.9% from the field, being best in both regards among the 30 squads. Teams have scored 90, 103, 96, 104, 102 in the last five games. Not allowing more than 114 points in any game while restricting teams to 102 and less in the majority of the games.

The Suns allow around 105 points each game. In the last five games, they have allowed 107, 97, 115, 111, 97. Outscoring opponents by 6, 19, 5, 4, 29 in all these games respectively.

Points Range

If we combine the season averages we get points per game at 226.6 and points allowed per game at 205. But these are just averages, the game is played through different score lines each day. If it is a runaway game, with one team extending the lead, the points range seem to be 210-225 range, in a high scorer, it seems to be 225-240, in a gruelling battle, it seems to be 195-210. Or it could be none of these, the NBA is just too topsy-turvy.

The prediction here is for a 205-215 range game.

Expert Betting tips

Both teams have momentum, both teams don't care whether they play at home or away, they have won more than your average fair share in both scenarios. Gut says this can be the type of game that is close till the start of the fourth quarter and then a team suddenly pulls away through 12-0-/12-4 run.

Prediction: A close battle where Stephen Curry gets hot in the end and the Golden State Warriors win the game. The scoreline prediction is 110:102 in favour of the Warriors. 

Betting Options

• W2 for 2.15;
• Away Team Total Points: Over (108.5) for 1.87;
• Player Props: Players Assists Milestone: Stephen Curry: 7 for 2.40.