The Golden State Warriors host the Phoenix Suns at Chase Center, with the game set for 5:30 PM.
This one comes with instant baggage. The Suns just stole a 99-98 win a couple nights ago, capped by a last-second free throw, so now the Warriors get the immediate revenge spot at home.
In the standings, the Suns are 15-12 and sit seventh in the Western Conference, while the Warriors are 13-15 and sit ninth.
If you want the star headline, it’s simple. Stephen Curry is at 29.6 points per game for the Warriors, and Devin Booker is at 25.1 points per game for the Suns.
Injury Report
Warriors
Seth Curry: Out (left glute, injury management)
Al Horford: Out (right sciatic nerve irritation)
Suns
Jalen Green: Out (right hamstring strain)
Koby Brea: Out (G League, two-way)
Grayson Allen: Questionable (right knee soreness)
Isaiah Livers: Questionable (right hip strain)
Jordan Goodwin: Available (jaw sprain, mask)
Why The Warriors Have The Advantage
The Warriors’ advantage starts with the setting. Chase Center has been a different vibe for them than the road, and this matchup is literally a sequel. The Suns already got their comeback win, so the Warriors know exactly what beat them: sloppy possessions, live-ball mistakes, and letting the Suns turn chaos into points.
That’s why the biggest “Warriors path” tonight isn’t some magical scheme tweak. It’s basic adult basketball. Value the ball, get into the offense earlier, and stop handing out transition points like it’s a charity event.
There’s also a sneaky physical edge for the Warriors in this specific matchup. In the last game, they won the rebounding battle 54-49, and that matters because it means they can generate extra chances even when the shooting goes cold. If they pair that with cleaner execution, the Suns don’t get the same number of easy “run-out” possessions that bailed them out in Phoenix.
From a team profile standpoint, the numbers say this is closer than people think. The Warriors are at 113.8 points per game with 112.7 allowed, while the Suns sit at 114.2 scored with 113.9 allowed. That’s basically two teams living in the same neighborhood, which is why one ugly turnover stretch decided the first one.
The last piece is urgency. The Warriors have been shaky in tight games, sitting 5-10 in clutch games, and that’s exactly why this rematch feels like a tone-setter. If they clean up the turnovers and execute late instead of panicking late, this is the kind of spot where they can flip their whole vibe going into the next week.
Why The Suns Have The Advantage
The Suns’ advantage is that they have already found the Warriors’ soft spot, and it’s the easiest one to repeat on the road. Pressure the ball, crowd the handles, and dare the Warriors to play a clean game for 48 minutes. That sounds simple, but it’s brutal when you actually do it, because every turnover against them turns into a sprint, a mismatch, and usually points.
That’s not theory either. The Suns erased a 14-point deficit and won because they cashed in on the Warriors’ mistakes, and it snapped a skid in the process.
And the Suns have the kind of scoring that travels when the game gets tight. Booker dropped 23 of his 25 points in the second half in that win, which is exactly what you want from your closer in a grind-it-out game. If this one comes down to a final four-minute possession war again, the Suns have already proven they can punch through.
The injury list also gives the Suns some lineup flexibility. If Grayson Allen plays, it adds another shooter the Warriors can’t ignore. If he sits, they still have Goodwin available, and he just showed he’s comfortable in this matchup when it gets chaotic. That matters in a rematch, because rotations tighten and coaches lean toward the guys they trust to not melt.
Golden State Warriors vs. Phoenix Suns Prediction
I’m taking the Warriors, mostly because the first game was decided by a meltdown category that’s fixable. The Suns earned that comeback, but 21 turnovers is the kind of self-inflicted wound that usually doesn’t repeat at the same level two games in a row.
The Suns absolutely have a real shot if they win the turnover battle again and turn it into another clutch grind. But at Chase Center, with revenge on the menu, I think the Warriors play cleaner and finally finish one of these.
Prediction: Warriors 116, Suns 111
