SAN FRANCISCO – The Warriors got back in the win column, but will probably rue a squandered opportunity to rest their veterans in the fourth quarter of a surprisingly competitive matchup with Phoenix at Chase Center on Tuesday.
A 19-point lead at halftime seemed to have the Warriors well on their way to an easy victory and light second-half minutes for Steph Curry and Draymond Green.
The Warriors coming off back-to-back losses in Milwaukee and Indianapolis, setbacks that had brought the momentum of a 4-1 start to a grinding halt. They had played six games in 10 days overall, logging heavy minutes.
Jimmy Butler, who entered the night questionable with a lower back injury, did not play in the second half. He finished the game with 14 minutes and two points while being plus-17 in a 118-107 Warriors victory.
Golden State led 68-49 at halftime, and by over 20 points in the third quarter, but with a little over two minutes remaining in the third, the Suns had cut the deficit to as little as nine as the Warriors played without Curry. The Suns went on a 20-6 run while Golden State’s offense was bogged down by stagnant sets and turnovers.
Once Curry returned to start the fourth quarter, and Suns star Devin Booker began the frame on the bench, the Warriors padded the lead to 107-88 within the first four minutes. But the Suns once again went on a run, cutting the deficit to just 113-105 with 3:34 left.
Once Curry checked back in, the Warriors salted away a less-than-smooth victory. Curry led the Warriors with 28 points, Moses Moody put in 24 points off the bench, and Quinten Post scored 14. Curry played 34 minutes, and Green checked out at 33.
The Warriors had 33 assists and 15 turnovers.
The Warriors will make the short trip up I-80 to play at Sacramento on Wednesday, and then fly to Denver for a game on Friday.
Guarding Booker
With Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green both out with injuries, the Suns’ entire offensive burden fell upon fDevin Booker, who entered the night averaging exactly 30 points per game.
The Warriors put Jonathan Kuminga on him to start, but also had Curry, Pat Spencer and others take a try at slowing down the mid-range savant. They also threw a flurry of double-teams at Booker too.
But even though he was surrounded by non-threats and faced relentless defensive pressure, he still found a way to pour in 38 points. More tellingly, Booker was only minus-8 in 39 minutes, an illustration of how the Suns fell apart when he sat.
Buddy Hield bounce back
Long known as a mercurial gunner, Buddy Hield had spent the past week or so on an extended cold streak. The 32-year-old had not scored in double figures since the second game of the season.
But a shooter as talented as Hield would not stay cool forever, and he finally broke out against the Suns by scoring 12 points, 11 of them in the first half.
No Horford, no problem
Al Horford will not play in any back-to-backs this season, but whether he plays the first or second leg is a case-by-case decision. This week, Kerr decided to sit the 39-year-old against Phoenix and allow him to play Wednesday in Sacramento.
Post started at center and made an immediate impact with his shooting, making all three of his 3-pointers in the first quarter off pick-and-pop actions. Spelling him later was Trayce Jackson-Davis, a rim-runner whose chances have been sparse this season.
The Indiana native made the most of his minutes, making 2 of three shots during a 10-2 run to end the quarter and throwing down two dunks overall. The Post and Davis duo concluded the night with 21 points and nine rebounds.