The Phoenix Suns put the NBA‘s longest winning streak on the line on Tuesday, and the Suns will face an intriguing test. Phoenix hosts the Golden State Warriors, with the Suns winning 16 in a row and the Warriors winning seven straight. The Suns are 17-3 through 20 games, and the Warriors are 18-2 to lead the NBA. Frank Kaminsky (knee) and Abdel Nader (knee) are out for Phoenix. Andre Iguodala (knee), Damion Lee (personal), Klay Thompson (Achilles) and James Wiseman (knee) are out for Golden State.
Tipoff is at 10 p.m. ET in Phoenix. The latest Warriors vs. Suns odds from Caesars Sportsbook list Phoenix as the 2.5-point favorite. The over-under for total points is set at 221.5. Before making any Suns vs. Warriors picks, be sure to see the NBA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s proven model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit on its top-rated NBA picks over the past three-plus seasons. The model enters Week 7 of the 2021-22 NBA season up over $1,500 on all top-rated NBA picks this season. It’s also on a stunning 117-77 roll on top-rated NBA picks against the spread that dates back to last season. Anyone following it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Warriors vs. Suns. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Now, here are several NBA odds, betting lines and trends for Suns vs. Warriors:
- Warriors vs. Suns spread: Suns -2.5
- Warriors vs. Suns over-under: 221.5 points
- Warriors vs. Suns money line: Suns -135, Warriors +115
- GSW: The Warriors are 15-4-1 against the spread in the last 20 games
- PHX: The Suns are 11-9 against the spread in the last 20 games
Why the Warriors can cover
Golden State has the best defense in the NBA this season, allowing less than a point per possession. While that provides an impressive baseline for success, the Warriors are also elite on offense. Stephen Curry is averaging 28.6 points per game and shooting 42.3 percent on 13.1 3-point attempts per game. Golden State leads the NBA in true shooting percentage (59.5 percent), with top-four marks in field-goal percentage (47.9 percent), 2-point percentage (57.9 percent) and 3-point percentage (36.8 percent).
The Warriors lead the NBA in 3-pointers, making 15.2 triples per game, and Golden State is atop the league in assists (29.3 per game) and assist percentage (70.6 percent). No team is more difficult to defend than the Warriors on account of their free-flowing style, and Golden State puts constant pressure on the opposition with ball and player movement.
Why the Suns can cover
Phoenix is extremely strong on both sides of the court, both in the aggregate and in specialized situations. The Suns are allowing only 103.7 points per 100 possessions this season, a top-three mark in the NBA, and Phoenix is in the top eight in myriad categories. The Suns are generating 9.0 steals per game and limiting opponents to 22.1 assists per game. Opponents are also struggling to shoot, with Phoenix in the top eight in shooting efficiency allowed.
On offense, the Suns are scoring more than 1.1 points per possession, and Phoenix is leading the NBA in field-goal shooting at 48.1 percent. The Suns are well above-average in 2-point shooting (54.6 percent) and 3-point shooting (36.2 percent), and Phoenix is averaging 26.3 assists per game, a top-four mark in the NBA. The Suns also have tremendous ball security, committing a turnover on only 13.2 percent of offensive possessions.
