The Phoenix Suns continued their recent hot streak Thursday night with a quality win over the Golden State Warriors. Golden State went to battle with none of their star players and vocal leaders even in attendance. Veterans Draymond Green and all-star guard Stephen Curry stayed home from the trip for rest, while Kelly Oubre Jr. continued nursing an injured wrist. Klay Thompson has been out all season with a torn Achilles tendon. The Suns – only missing Cameron Johnson – also faced a challenge, as teams often underestimate the fight of an undermanned team.
Both squads got off to a steady start, but it was clear the Suns entered with a world of confidence. They took control early, powered by a Jay Crowder three-pointer to get things going. Crowder dropped 8 points in the first quarter and ended with 14 on 5 of 8 shooting from the field.
Tough night for Booker
All-star Devin Booker’s continuation became questionable in the first quarter after inadvertently bumping knees with Kent Bazemore of the Warriors. He would return to the game and put forth a subpar shooting performance by his standards, scoring 16 points on 6 of 20 field-goal attempts and just 1 of 5 from distance.
Booker was recently named Western Conference Player of the Month. He is the first Suns player to receive the honor since Amar’e Stoudemire in 2010.
Spreading the love
Booker’s slow night did not hinder his team’s production, however, as 7 Suns players scored in double figures. Backup guard Cameron Payne provided a spark off the bench, scoring a bucket through contact for a 3-point play to start the fourth quarter. He ended the game with 17 points and a season-high 10 assists. Abdel Nader and Dario Saric also left imprints on the game with 14 points and 13 points, respectively. Deandra Ayton put up 11 points and 10 rebounds in 22 minutes of action, and Chris Paul added 10 points.
Fight of a warrior
A 21 to 2 run saw Phoenix ahead by 20 midway through the second, but Golden State fought to keep the game in reach. They missed their first 7 threes of the game but drained 5 of the next 9 attempts. With each run the Suns embarked, Golden State’s valiant effort gave them a puncher’s chance. Yet, the closest they came to catching the Suns was early in the third quarter, cutting their deficit to 7.
Coach Steve Kerr used the evening as a development tool for some of his players. While second-year guard Jordan Poole typically does his damage with the Santa Cruz Warriors, he went to work on the big stage Thursday night. Poole came off the bench and scored an efficient 26 points in as many minutes. Rookie guard Nicco Mannion was also called up from the G-League and got his first NBA start. Despite some struggles, he ended the game with 9 points and 6 assists. Only 2 other Golden State players saw double figures. Andrew Wigging scored 16 points, and James Wiseman dropped 11 with 11 boards.
The Suns (24-11) pulled away late, and their balanced effort helped them capture the win over the Warriors (19-18), 120-98. The team will send a pair of all-stars in Booker and Paul into the weekend. Their next game takes place Thursday, March 11, at 7:00 p.m. PST against the Portland Trailblazers.
