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Suns to Shine vs Warriors

Phoenix Takes 16-Game Winning Streak into Heavyweight Matchup

The hottest teams in the NBA meet on Tuesday when the Phoenix Suns host the Golden State Warriors at Footprint Center.

A winning streak comes to an end as the Suns seek their 17th consecutive win. Golden State is chasing its eighth straight victory, so there is plenty on the line.

Suns Shine in Heavyweight Battle
Elsa/Getty Images/AFP

NBA betting odds have the Suns at -2½ to continue their impressive run.

Curry Orchestrating Warriors

Steph Curry is a one-man machine and single-handedly has carried the Golden State Warriors to an 18-2 record.

The superstar is averaging 28.6 points and is the driving force behind the Warriors’ success. He has help from the likes of Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green, but without Curry, we don’t think they’d have a winning record.

Curry got fired up when beating the Los Angeles Clippers 105-90 on Sunday after not receiving a call from the ref. He ended up with 33 points after a second-half blitz, which could put fear into the eyes of the Phoenix Suns players.

Curry explained why he got so emotional, which resulted in a technical foul.

“It was just an accumulation of all types of weird stuff. All that led into where I thought I got a foul,” Curry told ESPN. “It definitely fired me and the team up. After that it was time to direct my energy into putting the ball in the basket.”

Beating the Warriors is tough and it’s not hard to see why. They rank second on defense and first on offense, so there are no weak points. They average 114 points, which is fractionally better than Phoenix with 112.6.

They also allow five points less than the Suns on defense, and that could be the difference between winning and losing.

Even when they don’t fire on all cylinders, like against the Clippers, Golden State still gets it done. It’s a scary thought, especially when Klay Thompson and James Wiseman come back into the lineup.

The sportsbook has the Warriors as underdogs for the first time since they defeated the Brooklyn Nets on the road on Nov. 16. That resulted in an 18-point win, so the Warriors are dangerous to bet against.

Our only concern is when they are going to taper off. It will happen at some stage, and facing the 17-3 Suns is a spot many expect them to struggle.

Suns Red Hot

After an inconspicuous start to the season, the Phoenix Suns have turned it around to post 17 wins from 20 games.

They look like the team that made the NBA Finals against Milwaukee and moneyline bettors have been cashing in. However, they are 11-9 against the spread, so spread bettors haven’t had the same success.

The win against Brooklyn on the road as a 1½-point underdog is a good sign. It showed they can beat the NBA’s best in a tough situation, so they are well-prepared for the Warriors.

Returning home after a four-game road trip will add to their energy levels. They are 8-2 at Footprint Center and that should give bettors confidence.

Leading the charge is Devin Booker, who has matured over the last couple of years. He is averaging 23.9 points, and it’s clear the impact Chris Paul is having on the young squad.

He might be without an NBA championship, but Paul’s experience is working wonders. It has already had a positive effect on Deandre Ayton, who we’re looking forward to seeing the center battling with Green in the paint.

Betting online markets are right to have the Suns as favorites. They have a well-balanced team, and all they need to do is contain Curry to get the win.

Phoenix is 1-0 when a -2½ favorite, which came when beating the Memphis Grizzlies 119-94 earlier this month.

Golden State Warriors vs Phoenix Suns Pick

The Phoenix Suns have the tools needed to beat the Golden State Warriors, so we’re picking them to cover the spread.

They will need to lock down Curry and ensure he doesn’t go on a scoring run, but given the quality defenders on this team, that shouldn’t be too difficult.

Paul is a good game manager, so he’ll be making all the right plays when the Suns need them.

We would be prepared to take the Suns at -3½, so we’ll take the point in what should be a game decided by which team makes the final big run.

Pick: Phoenix Suns -2½

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