Nothing against Phoenix stars Devin Booker or Bradley Beal, but neither will be atop the Warriors’ scouting report when the Suns visit Chase Center on Friday night.
That spot is reserved for Kevin Durant, the future Hall of Famer who threatens opposing defenses in more ways than there are days in a year.
The Warriors (24-23) know Durant better than most because he was with them for three seasons, each of which ended in the NBA Finals. He was voted Finals MVP when Golden State prevailed the first two seasons, but injuries to Klay Thompson and Durant derailed chances for a three-peat.
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While the Suns (24-22) need production from Booker and Beal, no one on the roster is more valuable than Durant. He leads them in scoring (27.3 points per game, fifth in the NBA) and blocks (1.4 per game, 14th), and his 52.7-percent shooting, including 40.2 from deep testifies to his difficulty being stopped.
The Warriors do not have an ideal matchup for KD because none exists for someone who is 6-foot-11, is proficient scoring from every level and handles the ball as well as a point guard. There are reasons why he is a mere 94 points away from becoming the eighth player in league history to reach 30,000 points.
This is one game in which Draymond Green (left calf strain) and Jonathan Kuminga (right ankle sprain) will be profoundly missed. Neither would be able to stop Durant, but both have tools that would annoy him. Andrew Wiggins and Kyle Anderson become the closest physical matchups, but coach Steve Kerr also will turn to Gary Payton II – yes, he’s only 6-foot-2 – and possibly even Gui Santos.
Regardless of the primary defender, Golden State’s game plan is to try to frustrate Durant with physicality and occasional blitzes on the perimeter. Nobody shuts down his scoring, but he is susceptible to turnovers when trapped. Durant leads Phoenix in turnovers per game (3.1) and, nine times this season, has committed at least five.
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This game also has additional implications for each team. With the season series tied at 1-1, the winner would be assured of no less than a tie going into the final game of the series, scheduled for April 8 in Phoenix.
Beyond that, a win would vault the 11th-place Warriors into the postseason “box” ahead of the ninth-place Suns in the Western Conference standings.
And lastly, the Warriors are trying to shake their prolonged pattern of inconsistency long enough to post their first three-game win streak since Nov. 15.