Golden State Warriors, one of the most dominant teams so far in the NBA with 16 wins on a trot, will have their eyes on a 17th straight win when they face Phoenix Suns at the Talking Stick Resort Arena on Friday.
Though Suns will be playing at home, the Warriors have been destroying teams both at home and away, which makes the task even a difficult for the hosts. With Warriors' Stephen Curry in stupendous form, the Suns will not find it easy.
Curry has continued his last season's MVP form as he averages 32.1 points during the season, which has helped his team win on a number of occasions. Curry might have been in the limelight for his team's amazing run in the season so far, but one should not forget the contribution of Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, who have both been solid for the Warriors.
If the trio shines on Friday once again, the Suns are sure to finish second best despite their home support.
''So far we've been unblemished and done everything we need to do to get 16 wins. Hope to make that 17 on Friday,'' AP quoted Curry as saying. ''There most likely will come a time we take a loss and have to deal with the emotions of that, just like we have in years past.''
What makes the task tougher for the Suns is their current record in the season, when they lost their last three matches. They have lost twice to New Orleans Pelicans and once to San Antonio Spurs. The Suns are currently seventh in the western conference standings table.
Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight, who have been their star players so far in the season, need to showcase their skills on Friday in front of their home fans if they fancy any chance of breaking Warriors' winning streak.
There is no doubt about the players in the Suns' ranks, but the Warriors, no matter what the quality of the opposition is, have always played better and their players have scored crucial points even when the going was tough. It is their strong belief in themselves, which has helped them maintain such a winning streak.
Where to watch live
Phoenix Suns vs Golden State Warriors NBA game is scheduled for 9:30 pm EST (8am IST, 2:30 am GMT) start. There is no live coverage of Phoenix Suns vs Golden State Warriors NBA game in India.
US viewers can watch the Phoenix Suns vs Golden State Warriors NBA game on TSN
International viewers, including those in India, can watch all the NBA live action by live streaming on NBA Online.