Oklahoma City has won by forcing turnovers and finding extra shots, while Phoenix has several ways to score around Booker. Indiana and Milwaukee bring separate guard and frontcourt scoring routes into a meeting between active offenses. Denver's interior creation meets a Golden State group whose veteran handlers return after a productive shorthanded outing. Each matchup is shaped by who can answer the first scoring run and complete the next defensive possession.
Phoenix faces Gilgeous-Alexander and Hartenstein, but Oklahoma City now loses Wallace's perimeter coverage, Holmgren's rim help and Jalen Williams's second creation role; all three played its last game. Booker has Green, Gillespie and Kennard to keep the Suns moving through the middle quarters. Phoenix's center absences carry over from the Golden State game, with Maluach already taking the main minutes. I'm siding with the Suns to keep this game competitive.
Indiana can initiate through Haliburton and Siakam, then use Nembhard and Huff to finish against Milwaukee's unsettled defense. The Bucks have scored at least 116 in each league game through Herro, Jaquez and Ware, but their own defensive possessions have repeatedly stayed open. Zubac played only briefly before leaving Indiana's last game, while Haliburton played a full role and Ware supplied Milwaukee's bench scoring. I'm backing both attacks to keep producing points through the final period.
Jokic and Murray give Denver a formidable interior and half-court route. Golden State nevertheless scored at Phoenix without Curry, Green, Horford and Podziemski, and those four return to the available group after playing against Memphis. Denver's wing rotation is thinner with Johnson and Diallo doubtful, while Curry's movement and Green's passing give the Warriors another response to Denver runs. I'm siding with Golden State to stay within reach.
