Phoenix Suns vs Golden State Warriors Prediction 4/17/26 NBA Picks Today

The Phoenix Suns play host to the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Play-In Tournament game at the Mortgage Matchup Center on Friday night.

The Phoenix Suns haven’t been at their best lately as they stumbled their way into the postseason and they are now battling for their lives after falling just short to the Trail Blazers in a 114-110 home defeat on Tuesday. Jalen Green led the team with 35 points on 14 of 29 shooting, Devin Booker added 22 points while Dillon Brooks tallied 20 points with seven rebounds and four steals. As a team, the Suns shot 49 percent from the field and nine of 25 from the 3-point line as they struggled to make their perimeter shots and did a decent job just to keep the scores close. The Suns were even good enough to take an 11-point lead thanks to a real spark from Brooks on both ends of the floor, but it still wasn’t enough to hold off the Trail Blazers who played great defense in the clutch to snatch the game away.

Meanwhile, the Golden State Warriors were really in poor form heading into the postseason, but they are suddenly brimming with confidence after taking down the Clippers in a 126-121 road win on Wednesday. Stephen Curry led the team with 35 points on 12 of 23 shooting, Gui Santos and Kristaps Porzingis each scored 20 points while Brandin Podziemski chipped in with 17 points. As a team, the Warriors shot a healthy 57 percent from the field and 19 of 41 from the 3-point line as they got off to a slow start and scored just 22 points in the first quarter to see them trailing for most of the contest, before they caught fire with 43 points in the fourth quarter to secure the gritty win on the road. Draymond Green scored just seven points, but was impactful as he tallied six rebounds, nine assists and four steals while defending the Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard down the stretch.

The Suns are still keeping an eye on Grayson Allen who is questionable with a hamstring injury, while the Warriors have ruled out Jimmy Butler III, Moses Moody, LJ Cryer and Quinten Post. These teams met four times in the regular season and it was the Warriors who won the series by 3-1 but the last three meetings have been decided by four points or less, so we could be in for another close one here. The Suns could get a major boost if Allen can return to the lineup, but I am sticking with Curry and the Warriors to escape with the upset win in this spot.