Preview: Golden State At Phoenix
When: 9:30 PM ET, Friday, November 27, 2015
Where: Talking Stick Resort Arena, Phoenix, Arizona
The Golden State Warriors have set an NBA record with 16 straight wins to start the season. But a treacherous sequence looms as Friday’s visit to the Phoenix Suns begins a stretch in which eight of the next nine games are on the road.
Golden State routed the Los Angeles Lakers 111-77 on Tuesday to notch the record-setting victory, which broke a tie with the 1993-94 Houston Rockets and 1948-49 Washington Capitals. That turns the chatter to wonderment on whether the Warriors can make a run at the Lakers’ record 33-game winning streak from the 1971-72 season or the Chicago Bulls’ record of 72 regular-season wins in 1995-96. “We’re not going to win 72 on Friday,” star guard Stephen Curry told reporters. “We’ve got to continue to just stay in the moment. When you stay in the moment good things happen because everybody’s just wrapped up in the process.” Phoenix has lost three straight games, including Wednesday’s 120-114 home setback to New Orleans.
TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, NBATV, CSN Bay Area (Golden State), FSN Arizona (Phoenix)
ABOUT THE WARRIORS (16-0): After the game against Phoenix, Golden State returns home to play Sacramento and then embarks on a seven-game, 13-day road trip that includes visits to Toronto, Brooklyn and Indiana. The Nets nearly defeated the Warriors on Nov. 14, but backup swingman Andre Iguodala forced overtime with a 3-pointer and Golden State dominated the extra session and now owns the best start in NBA history. “We’re a young team, very hungry and we’ve got great veterans that won’t let us be complacent,” shooting guard Klay Thompson told reporters. “Hopefully it sends a message throughout the league that we’re here to stay for a while.”
ABOUT THE SUNS (7-8): Phoenix will need strong outings from backcourt standouts Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight to knock off the Warriors, but Bledsoe won’t be at full strength. He nearly sat out his second straight game due to knee soreness but decided to play against the Pelicans and suffered through a 5-of-16 shooting performance while scoring 18 points to halt a streak of eight straight 20-point outings. Knight had 29 points and 10 assists against New Orleans and is averaging 25.5 points over the past eight games.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Warriors have won three consecutive meetings and 11 of the past 14.
2. Phoenix C Tyson Chandler (illness) is expected back after a one-game absence.
3. Golden State has won 20 consecutive regular-season games dating back to last season – only the sixth team in NBA history to do so.
PREDICTION: Warriors 122, Suns 117