Golden State Warriors Vs. Phoenix Suns: Predictions, Starting Lineups (12/12/23)

Steph Curry and Co. fly to Phoenix for a Tuesday night duel with the Kevin Durant-less Suns. Our Golden State Warriors vs. Phoenix Suns predictions, betting picks, and analysis are below; see which team we have winning this Western Conference battle!

Golden State Warriors Vs. Phoenix Suns Prediction

We will have to wait a little bit longer before we get to see the trio of Devin Booker, Bradley Beal, and Kevin Durant, as KD has been ruled out due to a minor ankle injury. Still, Suns fans are in for a treat with Beal’s much-anticipated return happening against Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors.

Golden State started the 2023-24 regular season with a bang, winning five of its first six games; however, it has mostly been downhill since, with Draymond Green missing over a third of the team’s games and Klay Thompson and Andrew Wiggins struggling to shoot consistently on the offensive end of the floor. The Dubs are already two games outside of the final play-in spot, and while it is early in the season, this is still concerning for the team and their fans.

Phoenix is in a better position, but not an optimal one; it has missed Bradley Beal for nearly the entire season and Devin Booker for a few handfuls of games. Even Kevin Durant has missed three games. The Suns currently stand in ninth place in a hyper-competitive Western Conference but are only two games out of third place; there is plenty of time.

Here’s an interesting stat ahead of tonight’s game: Golden State is 2-3 in its past five games, and its three losses have come by a total of four points. The Warriors have been playing much better basketball in the past few weeks, but, unfortunately, they have not been able to close out games like they have in previous seasons.

Let’s get into this game. The Suns have the fifth-lowest net rating (-3.9) in their past five games, while Golden State (+1.2) has ranked middle-of-the-road. What is deeply concerning about the Suns’ recent play in that stretch (1-4) is that they had Kevin Durant available for four of those games.

Durant has averaged 31 points on 52% shooting from the field and 50% from behind the arc, making him one of the most efficient players in the league, especially given his usage rate (31.6%.) The only other player in the NBA who scores that efficiently with that level of usage is Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Now, Durant will be absent, and while Beal’s presence might help mitigate his loss a bit, he will still likely be rusty from missing one month of basketball. Don’t expect him to be a world-beater in his first game back.

Phoenix will also be without Grayson Allen and Nassir Little, which substantially cuts into its bench depth. Allen is the team’s fifth-leading scorer and has been lights-out from deep (46.8%) this season. Without Allen and Durant’s shooting, expect the Suns’ offense to falter at times, giving Golden State enough of an opportunity to sneak out a road win.

Golden State Warriors Vs. Phoenix Suns Prediction: Warriors +1.5

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Golden State Warriors Vs. Phoenix Suns Best Odds

Despite missing Kevin Durant for tonight’s game, the Phoenix Suns are narrow one-point home favorites against the Golden State Warriors. Phoenix has Moneyline odds of -115, while Golden State is at -105 to win outright on the road. The Point Total for this game rests at 231 points, indicating a fairly high-scoring affair.

Golden State Warriors Starting Lineup

PG: Steph Curry
SG: Klay Thompson
SF: Andrew Wiggins
PF: Draymond Green
C: Kevon Looney

Phoenix Suns Starting Lineup

PG: Bradley Beal
SG: Devin Booker
SF: Josh Okogie
PF: Keita Bates-Diop
C: Jusuf Nurkic

Golden State Warriors Vs. Phoenix Suns Injuries

Kevin Durant has been ruled out due to a lingering ankle injury; however, Beal (back) will be available for the first time in a month. Nassir Little (concussion), Grayson Allen (groin), and Damion Lee (knee) will also not be suiting up, leaving the Suns’ bench a bit thin against the Warriors.

Golden State almost has its entire roster healthy; Gary Payton II (calf) is the only player set to miss this bout, but he will be re-evaluated in one week. Barring any setbacks or unexpected new injuries, the Dubs will be fully healthy in the next few weeks.