The Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns are ready to battle for NBA supremacy.
The 2021-22 NBA season is still young, but the Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns are set to square off in the most anticipated game of the season thus far. The Warriors and Suns have separated themselves as contenders from the rest of the Western Conference and will battle for the top spot Tuesday night.
The Golden State Warriors have been consistently great
Golden State, since the start of the season, has consistently been the best team in the league – and the advanced stats echo that.
Through the first 20 games of the season, the Warriors are 18-2 and have the league’s second-ranked offense and top-ranked defense. They also have a 13.6 net rating so far this season, which is, by far, the best in the league as well.
Stephen Curry might be the early favorite to win the NBA’s MVP award as he’s averaging 29 points, seven assists, and six rebounds per game on 47 percent shooting from the field and 42 percent shooting from 3-point range.
What has been the ultimate difference-maker for the Warriors, however, is the work of the team’s supporting cast. Without Klay Thompson or James Wiseman, it seems as if Golden State hasn’t missed a beat – while Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole help Curry carry the offense, Draymond Green has once again proven to be a force defensively.
The Phoenix Suns have picked up where they left off last season
If the Warriors have been consistently great all season, a case can be made that the Suns have been consistently great for the past two seasons. After losing in the NBA Finals last season, an early-season letdown would’ve been understandable for the Suns. Turns out, that letdown only lasted about four games.
After starting 1-3, the Suns have reeled off 16-straight wins.
Phoenix has a top 10 offense and defense, and the third-best net rating in the league. The Suns haven’t been as overwhelmingly dominant as the Warriors have been to start the season, but they’re still churning out wins as they head into an epic clash with the Warriors.
The winner of this first regular-season matchup likely won’t gain anything tangible, but it will give them a step up in the battle for the top seed in the conference. More than anything, though, it will give us all entertainment.
Here’s hoping that the most anticipated game of the season thus far lives up to the expectations.