{"id":712936,"date":"2026-04-18T04:28:01","date_gmt":"2026-04-18T04:28:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/712936\/"},"modified":"2026-04-18T04:28:01","modified_gmt":"2026-04-18T04:28:01","slug":"which-phoenix-suns-star-can-be-the-key-factor-against-the-warriors-in-second-half","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/712936\/","title":{"rendered":"Which Phoenix Suns star can be the key factor against the Warriors in second half?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Phoenix\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCredit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

PHOENIX \u2013 If there is one move that the Phoenix Suns can rely on against the Golden State Warriors on Friday night, it\u2019s getting their stars going, but especially one member of their big three.<\/p>\n

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\n\"Phoenix<\/p>\n

Sep 24, 2025; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1), forward Dillon Brooks (3) and guard Jalen Green (4) pose for portrait during Media Day at PHX Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

There\u2019s an instinct to look at Devin Booker when defining the Phoenix Suns\u2019 ceiling. He\u2019s the proven scorer, the established star, the one whose r\u00e9sum\u00e9 already answers questions about pressure. The recent noise questioning his elite status feels more like fatigue than fact, and Suns fans understand his baseline rarely dips for long. Dillon Brooks brings something different with his intense edge on and off the court. His willingness to challenge Stephen Curry and Draymond Green adds emotional voltage to the matchup. But edge alone doesn\u2019t tilt a series. It amplifies moments; it doesn\u2019t define outcomes. That leaves the most unpredictable variable, and the most dangerous one.<\/p>\n

\"Jalen<\/p>\n

Mar 28, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix\u00a0 guard Green (4) against the Utah Jazz in the second half at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Jalen Green\u2019s season has been fragmented by injury, disrupting rhythm and delaying chemistry within Phoenix\u2019s retooled core. But that absence may have created an advantage as the Warriors, along with the rest of the NBA, haven\u2019t fully seen this version of the Suns. In limited recent action, Green\u2019s efficiency has quietly surged, with shot-making that stretches beyond system design into instinctive scoring bursts. The data backs the eye test: his recent games show elevated shooting percentages and improved shot selection, particularly in transition and early-clock situations. More importantly, his usage hasn\u2019t yet matched his production. That gap is where opportunity lives.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Mar 28, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix guard Green (4) against the Utah Jazz in the first half at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

For Suns fans, the takeaway is simple but significant as Phoenix doesn\u2019t need Booker to prove anything, and Brooks\u2019 intensity is already baked in. The swing factor is whether Green gets enough touches to find rhythm. If he does, the Suns unlock a dimension Golden State and the Western Conference haven\u2019t prepared for.<\/p>\n

Suns\u2019 Dillon Brooks calls out Steph Curry and Draymond Green, igniting clash against Warriors<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

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\nReporter Benjamin Bliklen covers the Arizona Diamondbacks, Arizona Cardinals, and Phoenix Suns for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account,\u00a0@BenBliklen<\/a><\/p>\n

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