Why Steph vs. KD matchup will determine Warriors-Suns outcome originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Once Warriors teammates and post-practice workout partners, they’ll come off opposite benches Saturday for a quick pregame dap to be followed hours later by a brief postgame embrace.
In the meantime, the Warriors and Suns will collide, with Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant each trying to hang an “L” on the other.
Playing different positions, Curry and Durant won’t be assigned to defend each other – neither would have much of a chance to contain the other – but as their team’s superstars, their performances likely will determine the direction of the game.
With both teams coming into Chase Center with a 15-15 record, it’s reasonable to expect these 36-year-olds will chase victory with a vengeance. Neither would be satisfied waking up Sunday as the leader of a sub-.500 team.
Both teams have slipped appreciably after terrific starts. After winning 12 of 15 games, Golden State has since lost 12 of its next 15. Phoenix was 8-1 before Durant went down with a strained calf in early November. As valuable as Curry is to the Warriors, they are 4-2 when he sits. Durant’s availability, however, has been essential to the Suns avoiding a complete collapse. They are 14-6 when he plays, 1-9 when he does not.
Yet Golden State is facing, as Curry noted a few days ago, a pivotal phase of the season. The impressive early-season metrics have been blown up during their prolonged slump, and it’s impossible to imagine a sudden turnaround without Curry being at the center.
Curry is averaging 22.5 points per game, shooting 44.4 percent from the field, including 41.1 percent from deep. All three numbers are below career averages, but he is coming off a season-high 38 points in a Christmas Day loss to the Lakers.
Durant is averaging 27.5 points, on 51.5-percent shooting, including 42 percent from distance – all slightly above his career averages. He is averaging 33 points per game since returning to the Phoenix lineup on Dec. 13.
While Curry was given the night off Friday in Los Angeles as Golden State was defeated by the Clippers, Durant scored 35 points in 38 minutes in the Suns’ home loss to the Dallas Mavericks.
The Suns are missing four-time All-Star Devin Booker (left groin strain), so KD’s offense is a requirement for success.
Though Curry’s scoring – and presence – always gives the Warriors a chance, they’ll also need some savage defense to pull out of this tailspin.
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