Warriors Look to Extend Streak vs Suns
By Greg Chin
The Golden State Warriors don’t have much to play for in the remaining eight games of the regular season, but they have remained focused in their recent games, and are still on a 10-game win streak – the second-longest streak of the season.
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Meanwhile, the Phoenix Suns’ chances of making the playoffs are looking increasingly slim, as they are four games behind the eighth seed, with seven games left to play.
The Warriors’ coach Steve Kerr has made it a point that the team’s health will be a priority as they head into the playoffs. He has kept to his word, resting Draymond Green for two consecutive games as he deals with a minor shin injury, and Andre Iguodala two games prior. Coach Kerr has also stated that he doesn’t want the team to lose momentum heading into the playoffs, so he might not rest any of his starters tonight, preferring instead to spread the minutes evenly between the starters and his bench players.
Many fans will agree that tonight’s result isn’t as important as the team leaving the game with a clean bill of health.
Key Matchups:
Eric Bledsoe vs. Klay Thompson/Stephen Curry: With new recruit Brandon Knight out with an injury, Eric Bledsoe is back to playing the point guard position for the Suns. His athletic ability might be too much for Stephen Curry to handle, which could result in coach Kerr throwing different defenders at him. Bledsoe has struggled shooting the ball lately, making just 38.4 percent of his shots in his last five games.
Marcus Morris vs. Harrison Barnes: When Klay Thompson went down with a sprained ankle, Harrison Barnes stepped in and filled the scoring void. Since Klay’s return, Barnes has reverted back into his old self, limiting his shot attempts, and returning to the third/fourth option he was before. However, with Draymond Green out, Barnes could yet impact the game with more shooting opportunities, and against Marcus Morris tonight, Barnes should really take advantage.
Keys to the Game:
- Get Away Unscathed
This isn’t really considered as a key to winning the game, but the Warriors leaving the game without an injury is the most important thing to their playoff chances. With the other contenders in the West returning back to full health, the last thing the Warriors need now is an injury to one of their key players.
- Getting Out to An Early Lead
The Warriors have only lost twice at home this season, and have thrived on the Oracle Arena’s energy. If they can get out to an early lead, they can use the fans’ energy to ride out the rest of the game, and find their way to an easy victory.