And also, maybe grab a three-game winning streak?
The Golden State Warriors have 10 wins. All 10 of those wins have come as part of two-game winning streaks. There have been no one-game winning streaks, and no three-game winning streaks.
They’re currently on a two-game winning streak, which means now is the time to break the trend.
The deets
Who: Golden State Warriors (10-8) vs. Phoenix Suns (8-8)
When: 7:00 p.m. PT
Where: Phoenix Suns Arena, Phoenix, Arizona
TV: TNT (available on fuboTV)
Projected starting lineups:
Warriors: Stephen Curry, Kelly Oubre Jr., Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green, Kevon Looney
Suns: Chris Paul, Cameron Johnson (potentially Devin Booker if he returns from injury), Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder, Deandre Ayton
Last results:
Warriors: Beat the Timberwolves 123-111 — 3-2 in their last 5 games
Suns: Lost to the Thunder 102-97 — 1-4 in their last 5 games
The story
The Warriors may have a two-game winning streak, but it isn’t pretty. Both wins came against a Minnesota Timberwolves team that has the worst net rating in the league, and was without Karl-Anthony Towns and D’Angelo Russell. And while both wins were comfortable, neither were dominant.
Now they face a Suns team that should be good, but is also reeling. Phoenix has lost three straight, and has gone 3-7 since starting the season 5-1. Among the teams who have beat them: the Oklahoma City Thunder, Washington Wizards, and Detroit Pistons.
There’s a lot of firepower there, especially if Devin Booker returns from the hamstring injury that has kept him out for two games. But there’s also an opening for the Dubs to finally taste the sweet flavor of a three-game winning streak.
Players to watch:
Warrior to watch: James Wiseman.
Wiseman has looked strong since moving to the bench, and his mentality has been spectacular.
James Wiseman says coming off the bench has helped him because he gets to start by watching Kevon Looney: “I’m more effective, because I’m just studying Loon.”
— Brady Klopfer (@BradyKlopferNBA) January 28, 2021
Wednesday night’s game might have been Wiseman’s best as a pro, as he had a team-high 25 points in 24 minutes on 9-for-14 shooting with 2 blocks.
He’ll likely see heavy minutes against Deandre Ayton, who is off to a strong start this year.
Sun to watch: Mikal Bridges.
If you haven’t watched Bridges much in his short NBA career, then get ready for a fun experience. He does a little bit of everything on the court, plays with equal parts finesse and aggression, and is raining in threes this year.
The third-year pro is the real deal, and the Dubs will have their hands full with him.
Matchup to watch: Steph Curry vs. Chris Paul.
Do I really need to say more? They’re the two best point guards of this generation, and every matchup between the two is thrilling.
Keys to victory
- Steph Curry and Draymond Green limit the turnovers.
- Put pressure on Chris Paul and force the ball out of his hands
- Get at least two solid performances from Andrew Wiggins, Kelly Oubre Jr., James Wiseman, and Eric Paschall.
- Bring first quarter energy after traveling for a back-to-back.
Three-game winning streak? Why not.
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