The Golden State Warriors and the Phoenix Suns will fight for the last ticket to the playoffs in the Western Conference. Do the Warriors have one more left in them? Or, will the Suns send the Dubs home and qualify for the playoffs?
Catch this game live on Saturday, April 18, 2026 at 0:00 AM, Manila time.
Away: Golden State Warriors
Projected Starting Five:
- Stephen Curry
- Brandin Podziemski
- Gui Santos
- Draymond Green
- Kristaps Porzingis DD
The Warriors dug deep and found a way to keep their playoff hopes alive with a wild 126-121 comeback win against Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers on the road on Thursday.
That victory would not have been possible without the big contributions of several Warriors, including none other than Stephen Curry, who blasted the Clippers with a vintage 35-point bomb, shooting 12/23 from the field and going 7/12 from deep. Even 82-year-old Al Horford had a night to remember, as he had a barrage of 3-pointers on his way to a 14-point performance that came out of nowhere.
Then there’s Draymond Green, whose lockdown defense in the fourth quarter has been praised ad nauseam. The win showed the Dubs’ poise in a high-stakes game, with Curry, Green and Horford combining all their basketball wisdom to keep the team afloat. However, the Warriors could be without Kristaps Porzingis for the game against the Suns, as he is listed as questionable with an ankle issue after scoring 20 points in 28 minutes against the Clippers.
Home: Phoenix Suns
Projected Starting Five:
- Devin Booker
- Jalen Green
- Jordan Goodwin
- Dillon Brooks
- Mark Williams (Questionable)
The Suns got upset at home by the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday, 114-110. Jalen Green showed up, however, in that contest, coming up with 35 points on 14/29 shooting. Devin Booker had 22 points (7/17 FG), while Dillon Brooks added 20 (6/10 FG). Phoenix will get points so long as they have Booker, Green and Brooks, regardless of efficiency.
What’s more crucial for Phoenix, however, is its defense against the Warriors, who still very much revolve around Curry. Back in the regular season, the Suns were ninth in the league overall with a defensive efficiency of 113.0 and 13th with a defensive 54.2 eFG%.
As great as Curry was in the Clippers game, his body will be put to the test again for the second time in three days after just recently returning from a long absence because of an injury. Green also played hurt on Thursday. It will be interesting to see how their body hold up on the road against a Suns team that enters the game with a rest advantage.
Picks
Spread: Phoenix Suns (-3.5)
Over/Under: Under (219.5)
