Perhaps the best Christmas present for NBA fans this year was the showdown between the Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns.
A lot was riding on this game: before tip-off, the Suns were number one in the West while the Warriors were right behind them in second place.
Many people assumed that the game was a preview of the Western Conference Finals, with the two best teams in the league going head-to-head.
Sure enough, the game was full of some explosive fireworks and major takeaways – including the fact that the Warriors are now the favorite to go all the way this year.
They Conquered The Suns Defense
The Suns are known for their defense: they are number two in the league in that department.
That didn’t seem to bother the Warriors on Christmas.
The Dubs consistently outplayed and out-maneuvered Phoenix and created some monster plays that just shouldn’t have happened if the Suns were putting up their usual brand of incredible D.
Last night, Otto Porter Jr scored 7 PTS in one minute in the 4th to help the Warriors defeat the Phoenix Suns. pic.twitter.com/t0tuN6MIlt
— dubs (@StephenCurey) December 26, 2021
The Warriors dismantled the defense of the Suns and that’s a huge feat that proves just how amazing Steve Kerr‘s squad is.
They Beat The Suns – At Home
Not only did the Warriors beat the best team in the NBA, but they also did it on their home court.
The Phoenix crowd left the arena with their heads hanging low after seeing their team defeated because they’re just not used to it.
Before the Warriors, the Suns were 15-2 at home and had won the last 15 games straight, including once against the Warriors last month.
In other words, the Suns rarely lose at home – but they did on Christmas.
The 15-game home win streak is over for Phoenix and it’s all thanks to Stephen Curry‘s 33 points and the immense talent of the rest of the Warriors roster.
Christmas career-high 33 points today in Phoenix for the one and only #StephenCurry #NBAAllStar pic.twitter.com/PyJgK6QE8i
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) December 26, 2021
It’s not the first time the Warriors have snapped a Suns streak: they put an end to Phoenix’s 18-game win streak last month.
They are getting in the habit of breaking the Suns’ hearts.
The Suns are now 1-2 against the Warriors in this regular season.
For a team that seemed unstoppable, this is bad news indeed.
They Are Depleted And Still Won
It needs to be stated that the Warriors beat the Suns with a depleted roster.
Four players – Jordan Poole, Andrew Wiggins, Damion Lee, and Moses Moody – were not playing on Saturday because of COVID-19 health and safety protocols.
Meanwhile, Andre Iguodala was out because of right knee issues.
And of course, we all know that Golden State is missing one of its biggest stars: Klay Thompson.
So that means the team that just took down the Suns, the best squad in the entire league, did so while not being at full power.
So in the weeks and months ahead, the Warriors are only going to get better.
This means that their 116-107 victory over the Suns might pale in comparison to what they are capable of as the season continues.
We learned a lot during the Phoenix-Golden State game on Christmas Day but the biggest takeaway should be this: the Warriors are currently the most intimidating team in the NBA.
NEXT: Are The Warriors Obvious Title Favorites With Klay Thompson Back?