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The Golden State Warriors started off their season raising a fresh new banner and winning two out of three games at home in Chase Center. Both of those wins came against division foes: the Los Angeles Lakers and the Sacramento Kings. To keep their nice start to the season going the Dubs will have to knock off another division rival in the Phoenix Suns.
Golden State Warriors at Phoenix Suns
October 25th, 2022 | 7:00 PT
Watch: TNT | Listen: 95.7 The Game
INJURIES:
Warriors: Patrick Baldwin Jr.: day to day (thumb), Andre Iguodala: out (rest).
Suns: Cameron Johnson: day to day (hip), Landry Shamet: day to day (hip), Ish Wainright: out (back).
Did you know that in the last eight NBA Finals, all of the Western Conference champions have emerged from the Pacific Division? That’s right folks, in 2020 there was the Lakers and in 2021 there was the Suns... and the other six times it was the Warriors bahahaha.
The Suns blew a 2-0 lead in their first Finals trip since Charles Barkley was their best player, then came out blazing hot last season to become the West’s #1 seed. They had a dynamic backcourt with All-Stars Chris Paul and Devin Booker, an emerging young big man in DeAndre Ayton, and a deep roster with role players like Jae Crowder and Mikal Bridges.
They had a lotta blogbois (not me) preemptively bending the knee in fear of their revenge tour:
Suns are the team to beat. Really hard to bet against them going back to the Finals.
— Joe Viray (@JoeVirayNBA) March 10, 2022
The Phoenix Suns can’t lose in the playoffs after those corny postgame workout videos for the cameras I’m sorry pic.twitter.com/dn7Dligzdk
— Pranav Sriraman (@PranavSriraman) March 31, 2022
Thankfully reality struck in the postseason, when CP3’s team did what we all knew they would: flame out in a shocking, devastating playoff defeat.
As Luka Doncic buried Phoenix alive and rolled on to the Western Conference Finals, the Golden State Warriors were benevolent in two ways. Firstly, they crushed the Mavs in five games and went on to win the 2022 NBA Title, demonstrating to Phoenix what postseason greatness looks like. Secondly, they gracefully bestowed key role player Damion Lee to the Suns in the offseason to inject championship culture into their veins.
Looks like that gift is already paying off:
“That’s big time. First game in, he steps right in. That man comes from good culture… great culture!”
— NBA (@NBA) October 20, 2022
Devin Booker on Damion Lee and the @Suns opening night W! #KiaTipOff22 pic.twitter.com/l5BKDd4pfz
Knowing the Warriors, they will have yet another present for the Suns on a nationally televised game Tuesday night: Strength In Numbers.
Poll
Who ya got in Game #4, Warriors or Suns?
This poll is closed
-
84%
Warriors, they love beating up on the Pacific Division!
(188 votes) -
15%
Suns, because this year is REALLY their year (for real this time).
(35 votes)
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