The worst features of a wretched stretch of Warriors play have been on full show in Phoenix on Thursday evening. The turnovers, the stagnant possessions, the missed boxouts and gradual defensive rotations: the standard suspects of the Warriors’ dropping skid have been accounted for within the second half.
And but, one way or the other, due to extra Dillon Brooks shenanigan’s and clutch Curry and Butler shotmaking, the Warriors bought to lose an 99-98 heartbreaker as a substitute of being blown out for the crew’s third consecutive loss.
Lower than a second from extra time, Suns guard Jordan Goodwin was fouled by Moses Moody with 0.4 seconds on a rebound try after a Brooks miss. The masked man bricked the primary, however made the second to provide the Suns a one-point win.
Regardless of being the victims of 20-6 and 18-4 second-half runs, the Warriors have been one way or the other main by one with 4 minutes remaining after Brandin Podziemski knocked down a tricky stepback 3-pointer.
However with the momentum on their facet, the Warriors fumbled the lead with two ghastly turnovers that led to 4 factors as a part of an 8-0 run. However after trailing by 5 following a missed Curry shot, Dillon Brooks gave the Warriors a lifeline.
Brooks swung his arm and struck Curry within the midsection on a closeout lengthy after Curry launched the ball. Curry made each free throws after the flagrant foul was referred to as, after which Jimmy Butler nailed a 3 to tie the sport at 96.
Devin Booker answered with a midrange pullup with 30 seconds remaining, and Curry responded by hitting two extra free throws to tie the sport at 98 earlier than Goodwin gained the sport.
Podziemski scored 18 off the bench, whereas Curry put in simply 15. Devin Booker scored 23 of his 25 factors within the second half, whereas Brooks scored 20 of his 24 factors within the first half. Jonathan Kuminga, in his return to the rotation, scored simply two factors in 10 minutes.
After being requested by teammates to be extra aggressive after a couple of middling video games, Jimmy Butler was one of many few early offensive vivid spots for the crew, and he scored 16 of his team-high 31 factors within the first half. He drove repeatedly and made 4 of his first-half discipline targets proper on the rim.
The Warriors jumped out to a 14-point lead early within the the third quarter, however a 20-6 run led by Phoenix lifer Booker — 12 factors in that stretch — led to a tie at 66. The Suns have been aggressive in double-teaming Steph Curry, who had scored 87 factors over the previous two video games, daring different Warriors to beat them.
Golden State went scoreless in the course of the closing 4:42 of the third quarter, a scoreless skid solely boosted by a sequence of turnovers. But, one way or the other, the guests led 71-70 going into the fourth quarter.
Butler and Podziemski did what they might, however the Warriors’ errors have been an excessive amount of for the 2 to beat.
The Warriors (13-15) will fly again to the Bay Space to play the Suns once more at Chase Middle on Saturday.
Fast substitution sample
The Warriors took an unconventional strategy to their early substitution patterns. Quite than having all 5 starters play an prolonged shift, Coach Steve Kerr made a sequence of fast adjustments towards an athletic Suns crew.
Ten totally different Warriors performed within the first half, usually taking the ground briefly shifts. As an example, Inexperienced performed the primary 4 minutes, subbed out, returned on the six-minute mark, went again out three minutes afterwards, after which performed the final possession.
Turnovers nonetheless an issue
Neither crew might be accused of being too cautious with the ball or valuing each possession.
The Warriors have pushed coach Steve Kerr up a wall with their turnovers this season, the crew ranked twenty sixth within the league with a whopping 16 giveaways per recreation. The Suns have been simply as careless with the ball, additionally averaging 16 turnovers per recreation.
Golden State turned the ball over 20 instances and surrendered 30 factors off these giveaways. In the meantime, despite the fact that the Suns had turnovers, the Warriors have been solely capable of convert these into 18 factors.
Dillon Brooks scorches nemesis
Brooks started the sport with a scorching sizzling capturing hand, scoring 13 factors within the recreation’s first 5 minutes, however he appeared to impression the sport much more along with his famed antics.
He even earned his league-leading ninth technical foul with 5:28 left within the first half. He drove exhausting into the paint on a layup, and was incensed that Quinten Put up was not referred to as for a foul. Early within the first quarter, Brooks and Moses Moody had a quick scuffle, which led to a Kerr timeout. Within the fourth, his foul on Curry saved the Warriors within the recreation.
Final postseason, then on the Rockets, Brooks was accused of purposely attempting to injure Steph Curry’s hand. He additionally had historical past with the Warriors whereas in Memphis. Gary Payton II broke his elbow when Brooks flagrantly fouled him within the second spherical of the 2022 playoffs.
