Warriors advance to play-in vs. Suns: Preview, how to watch, stream

The Warriors are still alive.

After a thrilling 126-121 win over the Clippers on Wednesday, the Warriors will face the Suns in Phoenix on Friday night with the last Western Conference playoff berth on the line.

Stephen Curry celebrates a score during an NBA play-in tournament game. — Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry celebrates after scoring during the second half of an NBA play-in tournament basketball game against the against the Los Angeles Clippers, Wednesday, April 15, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) AP

The No. 7-seeded Suns lost a nail-biter at home Tuesday to the Trail Blazers.

The winner of Friday’s game earns the right to face the defending champion Thunder in the first round of the NBA playoffs, which would begin Sunday in Oklahoma City.

No. 9 vs. No. 10 Western Conference NBA play-in game

Date: Friday, April 17

Time: 7 p.m. PT

Location: Mortgage Matchup Center, Phoenix

TV: Amazon Prime

Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns looks to pass the ball during the game against the Portland Trail Blazers. — Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns looks to pass the ball during the game against the Portland Trail Blazers during the 2026 SoFi Play-In Tournament on April 14, 2026 at PHX Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images) NBAE via Getty Images

Golden State Warriors vs. Phoenix Suns breakdown

Warriors projected starting five (regular season stats)

G Steph Curry: 27.0 ppg, 46.8 fg%, 39.2 3pt%

G Brandin Podziemski: 13.7 ppg, 5.2 reb, 3.8 ast

C Kristaps Porzingis: 16.8 ppg, 5.0 reb, 1.2 blk

F Draymond Green: 8.4 ppg, 5.5 ast, 5.5 reb

F Gui Santos: 9.3 ppg, 3.9 reb, 50.5 fg%

Sixth man: F Al Horford: 8.3 ppg, 5.0 reb, 1.2 blk

Suns projected starting five

F Dillon Brooks: 20.2 ppg, 3.6 reb, 1.0 stl

C Mark Williams: 11.7 ppg, 8.0 reb, 64.4 fg%

G Devin Booker: 26.1 ppg, 6.0 ast, 8.1 fta (87.3 ft%)

G Jordan Goodwin: 8.7 ppg, 4.9 reb, 2.2 ast

G Jalen Green: 17.8 ppg, 3.6 reb, 2.8 ast

Sixth man: F Royce O’Neal: 9.8 ppg, 4.8 reb, 40.8 3pt%

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green steals the ball from Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard. — Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green steals the ball from Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard in the final minutes of the game of the play-in rounds of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Warriors X factor: How much do their stars play?

Curry showed what star power can provide in a postseason setting, delivering a 35-point performance while stretching himself to 36 minutes in his most playing time since returning from a knee injury.

Porzingis and Horford also played important roles in the Warriors’ first play-in win.

Can the Warriors count on them for another respective 28 and 22 productive minutes, or more?

Suns X factor: Can Dillon Brooks and Co. cause trouble?

Brooks, the perpetual Warriors menace, recently returned from a monthlong absence after fracturing his hand, which is good news for the Suns and not so much for their opponents.

Phoenix is 32-24 with Brooks, whose hyperactive defense has also helped the Suns become one of the league’s best at forcing turnovers. The Suns ranked fourth in steals and forced more turnovers than all but two other teams.

Brooks’ history with Golden State notwithstanding, it makes for a potentially dangerous matchup for a Warriors team that can be prone to mistakes. Golden State committed the fourth-most turnovers in the NBA, including a stretch of four games with 20-plus last month.

Who has the edge?

Regular season record: Suns 45-37, Warriors 37-45

Last 10 games: Suns 5-5; Warriors 3-7

Offensive rating: Suns 115.4 (16th), Warriors 115.0 (18th)

Defensive rating: Suns 113.9 (10th), Warriors 115.6 (17th)

Dillon Brooks of the Phoenix Suns looks on during a game. — Dillon Brooks of the Phoenix Suns looks on during the game against the Portland Trail Blazers during the 2026 SoFi Play-In Tournament on April 14, 2026 at PHX Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Kate Frese/NBAE via Getty Images) NBAE via Getty Images

Fast facts

No team in the NBA is more dependent on the 3 than the Warriors, who take an average of 44.1 per game and make an average 15.7 (35.6%).
The Suns are one of the NBA’s best teams at defending the perimeter, limiting opponents to 34.7% from beyond the arc, the second-lowest in the league.
The Warriors are 17-4 when they shoot 40% or better from deep.
Golden State is also 14-25 when it commits more turnovers than its opponent.
The Warriors have been one of the most turnover-prone teams in the NBA, committing 15.7 per game — more than all but three other teams.
Phoenix, meanwhile, ranked fourth in steals and forced its opponents to turn the ball over an average of 16.3 times per game, fourth-most in the NBA.

Season series: Warriors 3-1

Nov. 4: Warriors 118, Suns 107

Dec. 18: Suns 99, Warriors 98

Dec. 20: Warriors 119, Suns 116

Feb. 5: Warriors 101, Suns 97

Memphis Grizzlies forward Dillon Brooks fouls Golden State Warriors guard Gary Payton II during an NBA playoff game. — Memphis Grizzlies forward Dillon Brooks fouls Golden State Warriors guard Gary Payton II during the first half of Game 2 of a second-round NBA basketball playoff series Tuesday, May 3, 2022, in Memphis, Tenn. Brooks was ejected. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill) AP

Postseason history

The Suns are one Western Conference foe the Warriors didn’t bulldoze through at one point or another during their dynasty. The teams have met three times in the postseason, but the last time was all the way back in 1994, when Charles Barkley and Chris Mullin played starring roles.

Phoenix has won all three postseason series with Golden State.

The Warriors have more recent — and successful — history with Brooks.

Not only was he a core member of the Grizzlies team that played a hard-fought series on the way to the Warriors’ NBA title in 2022, Brooks was also part of the Rockets team that Golden State upset in the first round last year.