Why Steph vs. Booker matchup is key to Warriors-Suns outcome originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Stephen Curry yearns for a comeback game to lift the Warriors to victory.
Devin Booker needs a comeback season to return the Phoenix Suns to relevance.
The high-scoring guards share the spotlight Tuesday night in a game featuring two teams with opposite goals. The Warriors (46-32) desperately want to avoid the Western Conference play-in tournament, while the Suns (35-43) are hoping, against odds, a strong final week will put them in the play-in.
Coverage on NBC Sports Bay Area begins with Warriors Pregame Live at 6 p.m., with tipoff from PHX Arena scheduled for 7.
The Warriors are locked in a furious five-team battle for the final three spots to finish among the top six teams in the West and earn a guaranteed playoff berth. A loss to Houston on Sunday dropped them from fifth place to sixth. If they finish any lower, they’re in the play-in.
Curry managed only three points against a physically hyperactive Rockets defense, led by rangy Amen Thompson, designed to limit his production. He shot 1-of-10 from the field, including 1-of-8 from distance, and never got to the foul line. It was the first time this season that Curry played at least 25 minutes and failed to score in double digits.
It was a steep drop for Curry, who scored 125 points (41.7 per game) over the previous three games, all victories against opponents above them in the standings. He’ll be facing a much lesser defense than fourth-ranked Houston, as the Suns are 27th in defense.
Booker, Curry’s teammate on Team USA’s gold-medal-winning 2024 Olympics team in Paris, has been productive, averaging 25.9 points per game, but his efficiency is slightly below his career averages.
Projected to be among the top four teams in the West, the presence of Booker and fellow stars Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal has not been enough to prevent the Suns – who have the highest payroll in the NBA – from being the league’s most disappointing team. They sit in 11th place in the West.
Since winning eight of their first nine games under new coach Mike Budenholzer, the Suns are 15 games under .500. They have lost six in a row, the last three without Durant, whose sprained left ankle will keep him from facing his former Golden State teammates.
Changes are coming to Phoenix this summer. Budenholzer likely will be sacked and all signs point to Durant landing on another roster.
The Warriors will try to exploit a reeling opponent while also getting Curry back on track.
