Phoenix Suns vs San Antonio Spurs Prediction & Match Preview - January 17th, 2022 | NBA Season 2021-22

The Phoenix Suns and San Antonio Spurs have fought two closely-contested games this season. [Photo: Pounding the Rock] When healthy, the Phoenix Suns are almost unstoppable. [Photo: Bright Side of the Sun] The San Antonio Spurs have played spoilers to elite teams when healthy. [Photo: Pounding the Rock]

The Phoenix Suns, still unbeaten in their five-game road swing, will take on the San Antonio Spurs next at the AT&T Center on Monday. It will be the third meeting between the two teams, with Phoenix holding a 2-0 series edge.

Head coach Monty Williams is always wary of Gregg Popovich’s teams regardless of their record. Despite the Phoenix Suns holding the best record (33-9) in the NBA, they’ve had to do their best to hold off the San Antonio Spurs every time they have met.

Both of the Suns’ wins were decided by four points, with scorelines of 115-111 and 108-104. It shows the competitive nature of the contests between these two teams. They’ll expect another tough resistance from the young Spurs in their third matchup this season.

The San Antonio Spurs snapped a five-game losing skid by beating the undermanned LA Clippers. Derrick White, who missed five games due to health and safety protocols, returned with immediate impact. He led the Spurs’ balanced attack with 19 points to go with four rebounds and four assists.

SPURS WIN!!! 🎉👏

#PorVida https://t.co/mwsushMjUb

White and Dejounte Murray's All-Star caliber play has made the San Antonio Spurs a tough matchup for most teams. They have surprisingly given the superstar backcourt of Chris Paul and Devin Booker problems each time they have battled. The young Spurs, who are getting healthier, will not be fazed by the Suns’ league-best record.

Match Details

Fixture: Phoenix Suns vs San Antonio Spurs | 2021-22 NBA season

Date & Time: Monday, January 17th; 8:30 PM ET (Tuesday, January 18th; 6:30 AM IST)

Venue: AT&T Center, San Antonio, TX

Phoenix Suns Preview

When healthy, the Phoenix Suns are almost unstoppable. [Photo: Bright Side of the Sun]

The Phoenix Suns are still on another three-game winning streak. They now have four winning runs of at least three games, topping it with a franchise-best 18 consecutive wins bridging October and December. They have also suffered injuries and were decimated by the virus outbreak, but simply continue to roll on with one win after another.

The Phoenix Suns also own the best road record in the NBA with 16-4. They have the third-best net rating in the league following the Golden State Warriors and Utah Jazz. It has been their defense that has carried them when playing inside unfriendly arenas.

They allow a measly 104.6 points against opponents and play with clockwork precision. It also does not hurt that they probably have the most clutch player in the NBA right now in Chris Paul to bail them out. There’s a reason why analysts are picking them to come out of the West over the Golden State Warriors.

Key Player - Chris Paul

The 11x All-Star is aging like fine wine for the Phoenix Suns. He’s one of only two players in the NBA who are ranked in the top five in assists and steals. He is second in the league in assists with 9.9 per contest and third in steals with 1.9 per contest. At 36 years old, he is still one of the most impactful two-way players in the game.

CP3’s impact is often overlooked because he doesn’t score the most points for the Phoenix Suns. The game against the Detroit Pistons was a perfect example. Chris Paul finished with only 10 points to go along with six rebounds and the same number of assists. He was, however, a game-high +23 in net rating, which is just absurd.

They don't call him the Point God for nothing.

#ChrisPaul x #NBAAllStar https://t.co/6CPCOKIdGK

He is the Phoenix Suns’ metronome and they play with uncanny execution because of the man handling point guard duties.

Phoenix Suns Predicted Lineup

G - Chris Paul | G - Devin Booker | F - Mikal Bridges | F - Jae Crowder | C - JaVale McGee

San Antonio Spurs Preview

The San Antonio Spurs have played spoilers to elite teams when healthy. [Photo: Pounding the Rock]

The San Antonio Spurs, like many teams, were brutally decimated by the virus outbreak. With several players coming in and out of the lineup, the youthful team slumped to 2-9 in their last 11 games following a three-game winning run. Now with a healthier roster, they are reminding people of how dangerous they can be.

Gregg Popovich’s side always try to play the game the right way. This is reflected in their assists, where they are only a hair below the top-ranked Golden State Warriors as the best in the NBA. The San Antonio Spurs unforgivingly try to look for the best shot possible, which makes them a joy to watch.

Despite their losses, the San Antonio Spurs have managed not to beat themselves. They’ve been one of the best in avoiding unforced errors. The Phoenix Suns know this and will be wary of the team that gives them fits.

Key Player - Dejounte Murray

Dejounte Murray is having a career year. He is averaging 19.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, 8.9 assists and NBA-best 2.1 steals, which are all career-high. It’s unlikely he’ll make the All-Star team, but he so richly deserves the nod after dragging the young San Antonio Spurs into being competitive in most games.

The San Antonio Spurs starting point guard has been playing out of his mind this January. Since the start of the year, he has tallied 24.6 points, 8.3 rebounds, 9.4 assists and 2.3 steals per contest. He's the only player in the NBA having those averages.

Dejounte Murray over the last 5 Games:

24.8 PPG
9.8 APG
7.4 RPG
2.6 SPG
46% FG

#DejounteMurray #NBAAIIStar https://t.co/o4woO6p1ky

He joins Chris Paul as the only player to rank in the top five in steals and assists. This season, the 25-year-old point guard is tied for third with James Harden for most triple-doubles this season. For point guards, perhaps no other player has a bigger impact on both ends of the floor for his team than Dejounte Murray.

San Antonio Spurs Predicted Lineup

G - Dejounte Murray | G - Derrick White | F - Doug McDermott | F - Keldon Johnson | C - Jakob Poeltl

Suns vs Spurs Match Prediction

The veteran Phoenix Suns will be playing their second game of a back-to-back and third in four nights on the road. However, their defense has rarely failed them this season.

If the game is as close as the previous two, the Phoenix Suns could go 3-0 up in the series versus the San Antonio Spurs. Chris Paul’s leadership and clutch game have made the difference in the last two games and could be the decider yet again.

Where to watch the Suns vs Spurs game

The NBA League Pass will stream the game live. Local coverage of the matchup is available via Bally Sports San Antonio and Bally Sports Arizona.