PHOENIX — Placing collectively full, 48-minute performances is beginning to grow to be a problem for the Warriors, and it definitely was of their fourth straight loss.
In opposition to the Suns on the Footprint Heart, the Warriors fell behind early due to poor protection and, regardless of a livid effort, couldn’t dig out of the outlet.
Steph Curry returned from a one-game absence to attain 23 factors, however Devin Booker out-did his Olympics teammate with 27 and 9 assists. Phoenix gained the primary half 66-49, holding off the Warriors from there with regular play from its stars.
The Warriors (12-7) introduced extra urgency within the second half, however didn’t have sufficient juice within the fourth quarter because the Suns outlasted them, 113-105.
After slicing a 17-point halftime deficit to seven with a robust third quarter, the Warriors labored their method right into a 5 level sport with 71 seconds left.
However as an alternative of actually flipping the sport, the Suns steadied sufficient to carry off Golden State. Groups with closers like Kevin Durant and Booker have a behavior of crushing comeback desires.
Earlier within the sport, the Suns shot the lights out, incomes a double-digit lead by beginning 9-for-13 from 3.
Brandin Podziemski (12 factors, 7 rebounds, 4 assists) helped hold the Warriors shut, scoring eight first-quarter factors — together with a pair of much-needed 3s. The second-year guard drew two offensive fouls and acquired two particular person stops in isolation towards Kevin Durant as nicely.
Phoenix continually put the Warriors’ protection into scramble mode, with Durant drawing double groups or different gamers driving into the lane and swinging it across the perimeter. They created open 3 after open 3, nailing 14 of 21 in a 66-49 first half.
The Warriors performed 13 gamers, together with Pat Spencer, within the first 14 minutes of the sport. It continued Golden State’s season-long development of enjoying a deep rotation to attempt to maximize defensive depth — solely Saturday night time, there wasn’t a lot of that.
“It’s not easy on the players, it’s not easy on the coaches trying to figure out who to play and when,” Kerr mentioned pregame. “I think we’re still sorting through combinations, trying to figure out the best solutions from one night to the next. I don’t necessarily think this is the way it’s going to go for 82 games.”
Certain sufficient, Kerr naturally adjusted his rotation down within the second half. Kevon Looney changed Trayce Jackson-Davis to begin the second half, becoming a member of Curry, Podziemski, Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Inexperienced. The Warriors immediately went on a 7-0 run behind improved protection.
As a substitute of matching Phoenix’s five-out lineups with smaller teams, the Warriors extra incessantly performed two bigs collectively within the second half for protection and rebounding functions. It labored, with the Warriors successful the third interval 29-19.
Curry, who went 0-for-5 within the first half in his first sport again from runner’s knee, dropped 15 factors within the third quarter. He performed with tape on his proper knee and a leg sleeve on his left.
Even with lengthy stoppages — one for a problem and one other to repair an earlier combine up — that gave everybody further relaxation, the Warriors didn’t sub Curry again in till his regular shift with 7:36 left.
By then, the Warriors have been again down 10. Jonathan Kuminga, who began 0-for-8t, acquired blocked and Inexperienced threw a turnover into the primary row. Phoenix went on a 10-0 run, matching their game-high 17-point lead.
Within the final three minutes, the Warriors tried a full-court press, which sped Phoenix up. Kuminga ripped Tyus Jones for a steal-and-slam, inching the Warriors inside six because the clock ticked underneath two. Then, after Kuminga’s fourth bucket of the ultimate body, Golden State compelled an eight-second violation.
However the admirable effort wasn’t sufficient.
