PHOENIX — Draymond Green pulled up, exhausted, and watched as the nail dig into the coffin of the Warriors’ seven-game winning streak and their claim to sole possession of the NBA’s best record.
Jae Crowder’s 3-pointer with 3:47 to go sealed the Warriors’ fate in a 104-96 loss to the Phoenix Suns in a matchup of the NBA’s top two teams that lived up to its billing. They meet again Friday in Round 2 at Chase Center.
Green had just run the length of the court and back two times but failed to complete either of his attempts at the rim that could have stemmed the Suns’ game-clinching run. Instead, all he could was watch. Crowder’s 3 was the clincher in a 24-18 fourth quarter that gave the Suns their 17th consecutive win and pulled them even with Golden State atop the Western Conference standings at 18-3.
“We were right there until the final few minutes and had our chances despite the fact that it was obviously a very poor night for us offensively,” coach Steve Kerr said. “But I give them credit. They were the better team. They deserved to win. But it was fun to be back in this type of atmosphere.”
Tuesday’s game was more than just an early season matchup for supremacy in the West. It was a battle of one team vying to regain its position and another looking to replicate the former’s dynastic reign.
Suns coach Monty Williams laid the stakes bare.
“They have everything we want,” Williams said this week previewing the matchup. “They have championships, they have MVPs, they have Defensive Player of the Years — they have all that. We don’t.”
Warriors coach Steve Kerr made sure to note this was the 21st game of the regular season, not a playoff series.
Jordan Poole, who finished with a team-high 26 points, echoed that sentiment after the game.
“What is this, game 21? So we’ve got a lot of games to look at it, find ways to execute out of it for the long run,” Poole said.
Green, however, said he could envision a Western Conference Finals matchup. Facing the Suns on back-to-back occasions, it almost felt like Games 1 and 2 of a playoff series, Curry said, “minus the flight back home.”
Warriors’ Draymond Green says he can envision the Golden State-Phoenix matchup as one that could happen in the Western Conference Finals. #DubNation #GSWvsPHX #WCF2022 pic.twitter.com/GGMjVzWYVj
— Bay Area Sports HQ (@BayAreaSportsHQ) December 1, 2021
It took on a postseason atmosphere during a fast-paced first half with each team’s strengths on display, and it didn’t lose any luster after halftime, despite Phoenix star Devin Booker exiting midway through the second quarter with a hamstring injury.
The Warriors took a two-point deficit in to the locker room, and the two top dogs of the Western Conference played to a stalemate for almost the entirety of the ensuing 24 minutes, until the Suns’ ended the game on a 12-5 run set off by Crowder’s fourth triple of the game.
Trailing 99-92 out of a timeout with 2 minutes and change to go, Stephen Curry threw the ball right into the hands of Deandre Ayton, the final of 23 Golden State turnovers. Green and Juan Toscano-Anderson each gave up the rock five times, and Jordan Poole four.
Kerr said the Warriors were playing in a rush all night, while Green attributed the turnovers to Phoenix taking away the Warriors’ signature drive-and-kick passes that often lead to open 3-pointers.
“We were stagnant on the offensive end and we didn’t have much ball movement or player movement,” Green said. “You’ve got to give their defense credit for that. They did a great job of pressuring and speeding us up. … So I think we could have moved around a bit more, obviously turn the ball over less. In saying all that, 23 turnovers, we were right there with 3 minutes to go. We let it slip away.”
Curry drew obsessive attention from the Suns defense and was held to 12 points on 4-of-21 shooting from the field. His only trip to the foul line came after a technical whistled against Phoenix.
Rather than the MVP chants that have become customary — even in opposing arenas — choruses of “airball” rained down on Curry on more than one occasion.
“Those were confusing ones. You look up and it’s nowhere near the rim. It’s kind of indicative of how the whole night went,” Curry said. “Obviously it didn’t affect my confidence because I still shot 14 3s. … I settled a lot. There were some tougher shots. I know I can make them. But if you don’t have it going, you’ve got to figure something out.”
The Warriors held a 48-39 lead midway through the second quarter but allowed Phoenix to pull ahead 56-54 by halftime and flip the deficit into a 70-61 advantage, almost entirely with Booker off the floor.
That took the Suns the final 7:25 of the first half and the first 6:41 of the second. And in less than 3 minutes, their lead had all but vanished, setting up a dramatic final quarter.
“I mean, we’d rather win, but they’re the Western Conference reigning champs for a reason: they’re good,” Curry said. “But for all the mistakes we did have, how terrible I shot the ball, it was a close game down the stretch. … Losses definitely jolt the system a little bit. … It’ll help with hopefully our adjustments knowing we’re not preparing for any other team until Friday.”
Warriors Steve Kerr said the Warriors played rushed and it hurt them on the offensive end. It also led to 22 turnovers. #DubNation #GSWvsPHX pic.twitter.com/JzYRWW6svV
— Bay Area Sports HQ (@BayAreaSportsHQ) December 1, 2021
Kerr on the Warriors loss to the Suns. “It’s a good measuring stick for us.” He said there’s a lot to feel good about and a lot to get better with. #DubNation #GSWvsPHX pic.twitter.com/p2kg01QsEh
— Bay Area Sports HQ (@BayAreaSportsHQ) December 1, 2021
Warriors’ Stephen Curry called the loss to the Phoenix Suns a “good learning lesson for us understanding the intensity and focus we need to beat a team like that especially on the road.” #DubNation #GSWvsPHX pic.twitter.com/3tcYfTXIAN
— Bay Area Sports HQ (@BayAreaSportsHQ) December 1, 2021
Warriors’ Stephen Curry on what led to a poor shooting night. It was a little about of what the Suns with their length did and a little bit on himself. He said he was out of rhythm. #DubNation #GSWvsPHX pic.twitter.com/WViWyelR1f
— Bay Area Sports HQ (@BayAreaSportsHQ) December 1, 2021
Warriors’ Draymond Green diagnosis what went wrong for Golden State: He said the Suns were great defensive. He also said we could have moved more. He also said that there was a bit of overpassing that led to turnovers. #DubNation #GSWvsPHX pic.twitter.com/mje8Vw7u4q
— Bay Area Sports HQ (@BayAreaSportsHQ) December 1, 2021
Source: www.mercurynews.com