The NBA’s annual Christmas slate is finally approaching. These matchups always highlight the league’s long-standing rivalries, entertaining teams, and championship contenders. This year is no different.
Today, we’ll be taking a closer look at the upcoming meeting between the Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns, two NBA title hopefuls featuring some of the greatest players in the Association.
Which team will prevail when they meet on Christmas Day? Let’s dive in with our Warriors vs. Suns predictions and best bets.
Warriors vs. Suns Game Pick
To everyone’s surprise, the Golden State Warriors are one of the top teams in the NBA. Of course, people expected them to be good, but the Warriors have gone way above all expectations, as they started the season 11-1 and currently own a 26-6 record.
Steph Curry continues to be one of the best players on the planet, as he is second in the league in points per game (27.7) and leads the NBA in three-pointers made (5.4) and attempted (13.4) per contest. As a team, Golden State ranks in the top five in most major categories, including points, rebounds, assists, steals, and field goal percentage.
The scary thing about the Warriors’ early success? They’re doing this without Klay Thompson or James Wiseman, both of whom are expected to return this season. The emergence of Jordan Poole, who is in the running for the league’s Most Improved Player Award, has certainly helped in Golden State’s early-season success.
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While the Warriors are one of the top teams in the NBA, the Phoenix Suns is the best, with a 26-5 record of their own.
Devin Booker has missed some time with a hamstring injury, but the Suns continue to find success with their next man up mentality. At 36 years old, Chris Paul is still proving to be one of the top point guards in the league, while center Deandre Ayton is proving he deserves to get paid.
Phoenix has a deep bench, too, with Cameron Payne, Cameron Johnson, JaVale McGee, and Landry Shamet all making a significant impact when they’re on the floor.
This will be an exciting matchup featuring two of the top teams in the league. The Warriors and Suns both boast a top five offense and defense.
In their first matchup of the season, Phoenix came out victorious 104-96. Three days later, Golden State got its revenge with a 118-96 win. Come Christmas, both sides could be at full strength, and I don’t see the Warriors losing this. It’ll be close, but Curry and co. will continue their impressive start to the year.
Warriors vs. Suns Christmas Prediction: Warriors 112, Suns 106
Suns teammates Deandre Ayton (left) and Chris Paul (right), who are both averaging a double-double, will look to lead Phoenix past the Golden State Warriors on Christmas Day. (Image: USA TODAY Sports)
Warriors vs Suns Christmas Betting Picks
Best Bet: Warriors Moneyline (+190) at Caesars
Wager: 1 Unit
The Warriors and Suns are currently the two best teams in the NBA. With that said, this game could go either way, but I like Golden State to come out on top.
Unlike their previous two matchups, in which the Suns won by eight and then the Warriors won by 22, this game will be much closer. Both sides will (hopefully) be fully healthy and ready to compete for the top spot in the Western Conference.
Both teams rank in either the top five or top 10 in almost every statistical category, with the Warriors being slightly better than the Suns in most spots. As a result, they should win this contest, but not by much.
Take Golden State on the Moneyline as your NBA bet of the day.
Best Bet: Over 217.5 Total Points (-110) at Caesars
Wager: 1 Unit
Per our NBA gameday odds, the total of their previous two matchups went just under than the current predicted total of 217.5. The first two games had a combined score of 200 and 214, respectively. I have the total at 218, as both teams will come in firing on all cylinders, so I think they’ll be able to eclipse the 217.5 mark.
Both teams are top five on offense, with the Warriors averaging 111.5 points per game and the Suns averaging 111.8. The same is true defensively, as both teams rank in the top 5. Golden State leads the league in opponent points per game with 101.1, while Phoenix allows the fourth-fewest points per game at 104.
Although both teams boast strong offenses, they also have two of the best defenses in the NBA. This is going to be a close game, and with the top spot in the Western Conference on the line, look for both teams to pull out all the stops.
