Having secured a spot in the Play-In Tournament, the Warriors now host the Phoenix Suns as they look to maintain control of the No. 8 spot.
Warriors vs. Suns Tuesday, May 11 7:00 p.m.Chase Center
WATCH: NBCSBA
RADIO: 95.7 The Game, Warriors Mobile App and Warriors Radio Network
AS TOUGH OF A BACK-TO-BACK AS THEY COME
The Warriors have little time to celebrate Monday’s win over Utah Jazz as they roll right into a Tuesday matchup against another top contender from the Western Conference in the second place Phoenix Suns. The Warriors have lost both of the teams’ previous meetings in the 2020-21 campaign, most recently dropping their March 4 matchup 120-98. But neither Stephen Curry nor Draymond Green were active in that game, and both are expected to be active on Tuesday.
While the Warriors are now guaranteed a spot in the NBA Play-In Tournament following a Memphis Grizzlies win over the New Orleans Pelicans earlier Monday night, the Dubs must also keep the Grizzlies at bay in the West’s standings. The Warriors sit in the No. 8 spot but are just a half of a game ahead of Memphis heading into Tuesday’s games with both squads playing that night as well. Read more on the Warriors’ playoff/play-in picture.
LAST TIME OUT
The Warriors weathered a Utah Jazz push through the fourth quarter thanks to a clutch sequence from Kevon Looney, Draymond Green and Stephen Curry to secure a 119-116 win. » Full Game Recap
MATCHUP AT A GLANCE
PREVIOUS GAME'S STARTERS
GSW: Stephen Curry, Kent Bazemore, Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green and Kevon Looney
PHX: Chris Paul, Devin Booker, Mikal Bridges, Torrey Craig and Deandre Ayton
INJURY & ROSTER NOTES
GSW: Damion Lee (Health and Safety Protocols), Kelly Oubre Jr. (left wrist soreness), Eric Paschall (left hip flexor strain), Klay Thompson (right Achilles surgery recovery) and James Wiseman (right knee meniscus tear) are out. Team Notes
PHX: Cam Johnson (right wrist sprain) and Abdel Nader (right knee arthroscopy) are out. Team Notes
LOONEY PUTTING IN WORK ON THE BOARDS
Kevon Looney is in the middle of a career best string of games when it comes to working the boards. Wednesday’s 13-rebound performance, followed 10 and 12 rebound nights his previous two games, notched his first career string of three games with 10-or-more rebounds. After averaging 15 minutes through his career and over 18 through the season, injuries to the Warriors’ front court has forced Looney into the larger workload for the Dubs. He is averaging over 26 minutes per game through May while nabbing all of these boards. The uptick in work has not phased the NBA Champion though, saying after the Dubs’ win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday: “I have been preparing for this all year. I did all of my prep work, rehab and things in the summertime to prepare myself to play a lot of minutes when I am needed to.”
TEAM LEADERS
PHOENIX SCOUTING REPORT
The Suns have taken the momentum from last season’s 8-0 performance in the Orlando Bubble and extended that through the entire 2020-21 season, turning themselves into one of the top teams in the Western Conference. Just like the Jazz who sit ahead of them in the conference standings, the second place Suns are also a top-10 team in both offensive and defensive ratings. They recently had a five-game winning streak that included victories over other NBA squads including the Los Angeles Clippers and Utah Jazz, but have since gone 1-2 in their previous three games including a loss in their last game to the scuffling Los Angeles Lakers. Their scoring is predicated on the performance of their All-Star backcourt in Devin Booker (25.5 points) and Chris Paul (16.2). But an added challenge for the Warriors, who are among the bottom third in the league in rebounds, will be limiting center Deandre Ayton who averages a double-double (14.5 points, 10.6 rebounds) with 3.3 offensive rebounds nightly.