ORACLE ARENA, OAKLAND, CA — The Golden State Warriors were back at #Roaracle for a Saturday #SlateNight against the Phoenix Suns, a team that Warriors head coach Steve Kerr and associate head coach Alvin Gentry spent a lot of time building several years ago. Golden State attempted to snap a two-game losing streak after a tough overtime loss at home against the Bulls four nights ago, followed by a loss at Utah last night.
Prior to the game, the Warriors had recalled backup center Ognjen Kuzmic from their D-League affiliate, the Santa Cruz Warriors, while Festus Ezeli remained in Santa Cruz on rehab assignment for his sprained ankle.
1ST QUARTER: No Sparks
Both teams came out flat as neither team scored for the first 2:09 until Markieff Morris finally hit a jumper that allowed the Suns bench players, who apparently have started a tradition of standing up at the start of the game until their team scores, to sit down.
Andrew Bogut played a role early on as he usually does, but this time on the wrong side of the commentary. Second-year 7’1″ center Alex Len swatted him twice under the rim.
After the Morris drought-breaker and Bogut’s blocked attempts, Goran Dragic and Morris drilled a couple of three-pointers and the restless Oracle crowd started chanting, “Let’s go Warriors!” to try and drum up some energy.
It was only when the Golden State defense stepped up when the Warriors finally broke the ice, as Klay Thompson blocked a jumper by Dragic, then Harrison Barnes got a steal on the pass out, and went the distance with a strong right-handed layup.
Before too long it was 14-7, Suns, with 5:24 to play at the first timeout, and after a 3-for-12 start by the #SplashBrothers, the Warriors were a combined 3-for-15 from the field while the Suns went 1-for-10 on two-point field goals and 4-for-4 on threes.
After David Lee and Andre Iguodala entered the game with 4:25 to play in the first frame, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr rewarded Leandro Barbosa for his solid play last night in Utah and got him in early with 3:17 left.
Curry was able to find his spots against the Suns, scissoring through the Phoenix defense and setting up for a jumper assisted by Iguodala after a steal, and Curry also got a block from behind on Morris, leading to a dunk by Iguodala assisted by Thompson on the fastbreak, and the lead was cut to 19-14 with 3:41 remaining.
Gerald Green hit an early trey that Curry answered from the right corner on a set play by Iguodala, and the Suns took a 28-23 lead into the second frame.
Curry had 9 points on 4-for-9 from the field and Morris led the Suns with 11 points, 5 rebounds, on 4-for-7 field and 2-for-2 from downtown.
2ND QUARTER: Starters Key Comeback
The Warriors’ second unit couldn’t get the team out of the offensive funk, as Justin Holiday — in for Barbosa — was guilty of two turnovers. The Dubs were lacking energy and plays like Marcus Morris missing a runner and Brandan Wright tapping an offensive rebound out to an open Isaiah Thomas for three, also an Iguodala missed jumper from the left baseline that hit the backboard, only to get offensive rebounded by Barnes, who flipped to Lee, who missed the “gimme” layup, epitomized the flat play by Golden State.
After a lefty attack by Dragic on Iguodala, the Suns were up 40-28 with 8:14 to go in the half and Kerr called timeout, then brought back his starters.
It paid off as Bogut disrupted a Thomas fastbreak layup, Thompson drove hard baseline right, drew two defenders, hung in the air, and dropped a pass off to Bogut for an easy two, and Curry got a pull-up trey after Dragic made a jumper and threw his hands up looking for an and-one.
Shortly thereafter, Curry brought the ball up, surveyed the situation with no other Warriors able to get free on the collapsing Suns in-transition defense. But they collapsed just a hair too much and, sensing this, Curry with the dribble dubked into the left side beyond the arc and launched a trey-ball.
That being Curry’s second straight fireball, Draymond Green ran back on defense holding his hands in a timeout signal, and his prediction came true as Phoenix head coach Jeff Hornacek did what most coaches would have done in that situation: call timeout.
Curry’s mini-burst brought the Warriors back into the game, trailing 42-38 with 5:45 left in the half.
But Thompson committed the Warriors’ 9th turnover — he was guilty of 3 of them — and Eric Bledsoe punished Golden State with a run-out dunk.
Curry added another three from the left side on a set play, assisted by Lee, Barnes got his hands on a bad pass by Bledsoe, and took Markieff strong on the transition after giving a hesitation dribble at the free throw line. Morris gave a hard foul on Barnes, who turned to the ref and put up the intentional foul sign, causing Morris to get upset. The officials reviewed the play and ruled it a common foul. Barnes only made one of the two free throws to cut the Suns lead to 47-43 with 3:42 to go.
Thompson finally got another trey to even the score at 47-47, then Curry forced a jump ball with Dragic as he dribbled right into smothering defense by Green and Thompson. Lee somehow got the tip and, after Klay couldn’t get anything against the feisty Thomas in the post and reset the ball back up top to Green, Green immediately gave Thompson another try and this time he pulled up on the smaller Thomas for two, giving the Warriors their first lead of the game at 49-47.
After an impressive Markieff Morris turnaround jumper, Green drilled a three-pointer as PJ Tucker was too late closing out.
The half was coming to an end just as the Dubs were finally gaining some momentum, but a questionable charge called on Thompson, where the replay seemed to show Bledsoe not set, gave Klay four turnovers in the half and ended the surge.
The Warriors took a slim 52-51 lead over the Suns into halftime. Curry led all scorers with 19 points on 7-for-15 field, 4-for-8 downtown, 3 assists, and 0 turnovers. Markieff Morris led the Suns with 13 points and 8 rebounds. Green and Barnes both had 7 rebounds for the Warriors, who shot just 19-for-43 combined (44%) but held Phoenix to 20-for-49 (41%) combined.
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