The Phoenix Suns got defensive, shared the ball and got an energy boost from their rookies in Saturday night’s 113-105 win over the Golden State Warriors before a sellout crowd of 17,071 at Footprint Center.
Devin Booker scored 27 points and delivered nine assists while Kevin Durant posted a double-double of 21 points and 10 rebounds to go with three blocks to lead the Suns (11-8). Tyus Jones added 19 points, going 4-of-5 from 3.
Stephen Curry paced Golden State (12-7) with 23 points with 21 coming in the second half. Andrew Wiggins added 18. The Warriors have come down to Earth a little in losing their last four games.
The Suns were without two starters in Bradley Beal and Jusuf Nurkic, but they got 13 points in the second quarter from Grayson Allen in building a 66-49 halftime lead.
Making his first start this season, Allen finished with 17 points, hitting 3-of-6 from 3. Allen started all but one of the 75 regular-season games he played in his first year with the Suns last season.
Beal sat with a left calf injury that sidelined him five games. He played the next two, but Beal didn’t dress Saturday after experiencing tightness in his left calf and tweaking his left ankle in Wednesday’s 127-117 loss to the Brooklyn Nets.
As for Nurkic, he was ruled out with a right quad contusion after battling ankle injuries. Mason Plumlee got the start, but rookie big Oso Ighodaro provided an energy surge off the bench with six points, eight rebounds and two blocked shots.
The Suns are 3-7 in their last 10 games, but two of those wins have come against the Los Angeles Lakers and Warriors. Phoenix posted 31 assists on 38 field goals against the NBA’s fourth-best defense Saturday.
"He just makes them pay."
Devin Booker on Grayson Allen 17 points (3-of-6 3s) in Suns win vs. Warriors.
On Kevin Durant: "The clutch factor, being able to make tough shots in those situations. Shots that seem tough to us, but probably not to him. He's been there before." #Suns pic.twitter.com/qC95oGiXiV
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) December 1, 2024
Here are three takeaways from Phoenix’s response win after Wednesday’s loss to the short-handed Nets.
Defense resurfaced in fourth
Lindy Waters III maybe got outside of his job description.
He found himself up against the shot clock trying to get past Durant.
Sliding his feet and staying in front, Durant blocked Waters’ corner 3-point attempt, retrieved the ball and released it down court leading to a Monte Morris layup to put Phoenix up 10 with 7:37 left in the fourth quarter.
"You have to chase, you can't relax against Golden State."
Mike Budenholzer on Suns defense in limiting the Warriors to 41.3% shooting in 113-105 win.
On having 31 assists on 38 field goals: "Trusting the pass, the spacing. Just some really good basketball." #Suns #DubNation pic.twitter.com/ibVyo1w9B6
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) December 1, 2024
The Suns blocked four shots in the quarter. Durant accounted for two while rookie Ryan Dunn and Ighodaro each had one.
Those swats fueled an energetic defensive effort in the fourth to put away Golden State. They were moving their feet, staying in front and challenging the Warriors at the rim.
The Suns extended the lead to 17 points, which proved to be the cushion it needed.
The Warriors got within six, but Durant nailed a 3 to push the Suns up nine, 108-99, with 1:42 left.
Not done, Golden State clawed even closer, 108-103, but Phoenix improved to 8-2 in games decided by eight points or less.
"That's that young energy, they were all around the court, blocking shots. There was one possession like three blocks. The one that sticks out in my mind is Buddy Hield backdoor when Ryan went and got it off the glass."
Devin Booker on Suns rookies Ryan Dunn, Oso Ighodaro. #Suns pic.twitter.com/N1EXmMvq7e
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) December 1, 2024
Precise first half, sloppy third
The Suns were making 3s off quick, precise ball movement in building a 17-point halftime lead.
They were playing in rhythm. The Warriors were chasing the ball and couldn’t keep up as Stephen Curry scored just two points in the first half, missing all five field goals with three being from 3.
Then they started the second half with missed shots, a turnover and a lack of ball movement. Curry started cooking with 15 points in the quarter leading the Warriors back into the game.
Golden State got within seven with 5:01 left in the third, but never drew any closer as Phoenix led, 85-78, going into the fourth.
The Suns showed why they are a championship threat even without Beal and Nurkic. They have more than enough shooting around Booker and Durant.
I don't know who it was. It felt like he was in between guarding two guys and I just popped for the 3."
Kevin Durant as his 3 with 1:42 left gave the Suns a 108-99 lead in its win over the Warriors. #Suns #DubNation pic.twitter.com/0PMs7duBdd
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) December 1, 2024
That gets amplified when the Suns play with pace in terms of moving the ball.
When the game slows down, the ball sticks, and that allows the defense to corral the Suns. They must make a conscious effort to play fast, even if it looks frenetic because it leads to open looks.
Defensively, Curry was bound to find the range, but the Suns still surrendered points in the paint be it off the drive, ball movement or offensive rebounds.
Final 4:02 of first quarter
The Suns trailed 21-20 after Jonathan Kuminga made a free throw and Kevin Durant checked out of the game.
Booker took over in leading Phoenix on a 15-8 run to close the quarter and take a 35-29 lead.
"When you start, it's definitely different."
Kevin Durant on Grayson Allen 17 in Suns win.
On Draymond Green: "When Draymond is at his best, it's a good balance between being ultra aggressive and being on edge and also just being a cerebral monster that he is." #Suns #DubNation pic.twitter.com/YxkTl4dqII
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) December 1, 2024
He scored eight of those 15 points and assisted on four more with the latter a lob to Ighodaro finished with two hands to give the Suns a 32-27 lead with 1:17 left.
Booker closed the quarter on a corner 3 after precise ball movement he started with an inside feed to Ighodaro. Two more Suns touched the ball before it found Booker for the corner 3.
He finished the quarter with 10 points, four assists and zero turnovers.
Oh yeah, Booker has been playing the entire first quarter in recent games this season. That’s been the norm for most of his career, but Mike Budenholzer had taken him out at some point in the first.
Budenholzer’s substitution patterns haven’t been consistent, but injuries have impacted them as well. Curious to see if he sticks with playing Booker the game’s first 12 minutes for the remainder of the year.
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