The NBA schedule this Friday is a little weak after a rare four-game set on Thursday delivered plenty of drama. But while the schedule is a bit lacking in terms of high-profile matchups, there still are some interesting games to watch. The best game of the night comes out West, where two run-and-gun squads will meet at Oracle Arena.
2013 NBA schedule: Warriors host Suns in exciting battle out West
Expect a boatload of threes when the Warriors and Suns get together on Friday night.
Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sport
The main course: Phoenix Suns at Golden State Warriors
10:30 p.m. ET
The Phoenix Suns are the biggest surprise in the NBA, boasting a record of 17-10 that’s good for sixth in the tough Western Conference. The Suns are on an absolute roll heading into Oracle Arena, winners of three in a row and eight of nine. That includes a 106-102 victory over the Warriors just two weeks ago.
In that game, Eric Bledsoe tallied 24 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. Goran Dragic, Bledsoe's backcourt partner, added 21 points and Channing Frye had 20. The Suns gave the Warriors some of their own medicine, nailing 13 treys and overcoming 30 points from Stephen Curry.
Since losing that game, the Warriors have gotten Andre Iguodala back and have won four of their last five. That includes an impressive 105-103 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Christmas Day, a game that featured plenty of fireworks with the ejections of Draymond Green and Blake Griffin.
This Suns/Warriors matchup should be plenty of fun. Both teams are in the top half of the league in pace, and both squads love shooting the three. Golden State leads the league in three-point percentage and is third in makes per game, while Phoenix is second in makes per game and fifth in percentage.
The appetizer: Washington Wizards at Minnesota Timberwolves
8 p.m. ET, NBA TV
Both the Wizards and Timberwolves are under .500, but this one should definitely be worth watching. This is the second of two matchups this season, with Washington winning the first 104-100 on 14 points and 16 assists from John Wall.
The Wizards haven't played since Saturday and are looking to finish a perfect four-game road trip. The Timberwolves have been off since Sunday and have lost two straight as they continue to underachieve despite the continued strong play of Kevin Love.
Minnesota's last loss was a perfect example of this. Love had 45 points and 19 rebounds and had the Wolves on the verge of a big road win over the Clippers, but a late collapse sent the game to overtime. Los Angeles then won after Nikola Pekovic missed a bunny in the final seconds.
The rest of the games (all times Eastern)
Oklahoma City Thunder at Charlotte Bobcats, 7 p.m.
Detroit Pistons at Orlando Magic, 7 p.m.
Milwaukee Bucks at Brooklyn Nets, 7 p.m.
Toronto Raptors at New York Knicks, 7:30 p.m.
Denver Nuggets at New Orleans Pelicans, 8 p.m.
Los Angeles Lakers at Utah Jazz, 9 p.m.
Miami Heat at Sacramento Kings, 10 p.m.
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