Golden State at Phoenix
Time: 9:30 PM ET (NBA TV)
Odds TBA
The Golden State Warriors just made NBA history by starting the season 16-0. There seems to be no slowing Stephen Curry and the Warriors attack, and many are already beginning to wonder if the Dubs can break the Chicago Bulls record for 72 wins in a season.
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What makes the defending NBA Champions so difficult to beat? There are plenty of reasons. The team has immense depth on its bench. The Warriors defend. They cause matchup problems. Teams are unable to slow the frenetic pace at which they play, and even having an interim coach in Luke Walton, the team does not seem to be overly missing head coach Steve Kerr (he is recovering from surgery).
But most eyes when asked why the Warriors are so tough simply drift to point guard Stephen Curry, who seems to be leaving little question that he is the greatest shooter to grace the NBA. Curry is averaging 32.1 points per game, the most since Kobe Bryant’s 35 points per game in 2005-06.
More impressive still is that Curry hits nearly five threes per game while launching them all over the court at a 43.1 percent clip. There seems to be no end to his range, and few ever saw his ascent getting quite this high after battling ankle injuries on and off his first few seasons in the Association.
But Curry is hardly doing it all by himself. Fellow “Splash Brother” Klay Thompson’s numbers have dipped some in a slight shooting funk this season, but Thompson has had some nagging injuries and he is still the Warriors second-leading scorer at 16.2 points per game. Draymond Green is highly instrument as a power forward who can do a little bit of everything, even averaging 6.6 assists per game to go along with a 12.7 point per game scoring average and 7.8 rebounds per game.
Harrison Barnes is taking a more proactive role offensively and has upped his scoring average to 13.8 points per game. 2015 Finals MVP Andre Iguodala does it all, while also providing some great veteran leadership.
The Warriors also have enough depth that they are able to split the center position as a time-share between Andrew Bogut and Festus Ezeli. Both are able to stay fresher and more active on the court as a result and the duo combines to average 15.2 points, 12.8 rebounds and 3.3 blocks per game for a team that is averaging an astounding 114.3 points per game.
There really seem to be no holes in the Warriors roster nor attack, and of the teams that may slow them, tonight’s opponent the Phoenix Suns seem like a rather unlikely contender to do so.
The Suns, for their part, are a rather mediocre bunch at 7-8 this season. But the team does have some firepower and will be looking to snap a three-game losing streak in its own venue.
The Suns have a strong backcourt with Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight proving to be too quick and too good for most opponents. Bledsoe is posting 23 points per game while averaging six assists and Knight has rediscovered the stellar play he exhibited in Milwaukee last season before being dealt to the Suns. Knight is averaging 22 points and 5.7 assists per game while also ranking second on the team in steals behind Bledsoe.
The ever problematic Markieff Morris seems to be content to remain in Phoenix for the time being at least, and he is averaging 13.2 points and 5.7 rebounds per game, though his efficiency is very low, resulting in a PER of just 12.4. The Suns have been pleased with the progression of T.J. Warren and P.J. Tucker, too. Warren is averaging 11.4 points per game while Tucker is averring 6.5 points, 4.9 reboudsn and over a steal per game.
After those five players, however, the Suns rotation gets dicey. There is center Tyson Chandler whose defensive presence serves as the glue of the team, but a host of average players fills out the bench, and that is not a good thing in a tough Western Conference. And it may be a quick death blow against a team as stacked as Golden State.
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