Suns Close in on Franchise Records v Warriors

Phoenix Suns (22-56) v Golden State Warriors (64-14)

Wednesday 4/5/2017 7pm
Talking Stick Resort, Phoenix, AZ
Fox Sports Arizona/Arizona Sports 98.7FM

Season Series – Golden State leads 3-0
All-Time Series – Phoenix leads 120-98
Last Matchup – December 3, 2016 Golden State won 138-109
Suns’ Last Game – Loss to the Houston Rockets 123-116
Warriors’ Last Game –Win over the Minnesota Timberwolves 121-107
Suns’ Scoring Averages – PTS/G: 107.3 (9th of 30) Opp PTS/G: 113.3 (30th of 30)
Warriors’ Scoring Averages – PTS/G: 116.1 (1st of 30) Opp PTS/G: 104.3 (11th of 30)

Preview

Facing each other for the last time this season, the Suns and Warriors are mercifully about to put this suddenly totally one-sided series on pause for a few months. Moreover, this moment in time is one of a spectacular universal alignment of fates as a loss for the Phoenix Suns ties their franchise-record of 13 consecutive losses, whereas a win for the Warriors will be a season-high 13-straight wins.

The Suns, who are one (all but certain loss) away from tying their franchise record slide, last lost at home to the Houston Rockets, a team who intentionally rested their superstar point guard, James Harden. For a team who literally seems like they are only one or two moves away from becoming a playoff participant next season, the Suns were never down by more than ten points in the fourth quarter, providing themselves with the opportunity to potentially make a small run and steal the game, though they do not currently house the firepower for such an endeavor. In the end Phoenix fell short (which was the plan) and lost their twelfth straight game tying their second longest losing streak ever set back in 1968. For more, read here.

The Golden State Warriors are inching towards the return of Kevin Durant, who it appears will be making his return this Saturday against the New Orleans Pelicans. The Warriors have not lost a step without their hired gun as they are 24-7 without him, and of course on this long winning streak. Golden State toyed with the Minnesota Timberwolves in their last game, keeping the score close (and even falling a little behind a couple of times) until midway through the third quarter when a Golden State 30-11 run over 6:35 put the game away for good. Steph Curry and Draymond Green did not play in the fourth quarter and Klay Thompson played just over six minutes in the final period.

The Golden State Warriors v Phoenix Suns series, once dominated by Phoenix for three decades has become so lopsided and one-sided, the two teams at this point can almost guarantee place an expected outcome next to the game on the calendar, and never even suit up to play. Golden State has now won ten consecutive games against the Suns dating back to January 2015 (a franchise record for either team against one another) and 18 out of the last 21 against the Suns.

Three Interesting Facts

Phoenix Suns

1. The longest losing streak the Phoenix Suns have to any franchise in their history is 13-games vs the New York Knicks. After Phoenix won the two franchise’s first ever meeting on October 24, 1968, the Knicks rattled off their 13-straight from December ’68 through December 1970. The second longest losing streak is to the Miami Heat of 12, which was from January 2010 through March 2016. That streak was broken just this year with the Suns upset of the Heat on January 3.

2. Phoenix’s longest-winning streak against any one franchise is over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Phoenix won the two franchise’s first 25 matchups from Minnesota’s inaugural season, and their first meeting in December 1989, though December 1995. Minnesota won their first game over the Suns on January 4, 1996 and are 35-42 against Phoenix since.

3. Even though the Golden State Warriors have won ten consecutive games against the Suns, the Phoenix dominance over the franchise for so long has created a nearly insurmountable gap that would take eight-and-half more years of Golden State sweeps (after a presumed win tonight) just to tie the Suns in the overall head-to-head matchup – somewhere in the 2026-27 season.

Golden State Warriors

More from Valley of the Suns

1. Over this current ten game winning streak against Phoenix, the Warriors’ average margin of victory is 12.6 with an average score of 118.6 – 104.0.

2. With their victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Warriors broke the league record for most wins in a three-seasons span with 204, passing up the 1995-98 Chicago Bulls (72, 69, 62).

3. On March 29 the Warriors defeated the San Antonio Spurs breaking the Los Angeles Lakers’ record for most wins in a four-year period of 251 previously set from 1984-88 (62, 62, 65, 62). The Chicago Bulls fell one short of the Lakers record and won 250 games in four years from 1994-98 with (47, 72, 69, 62).