Phoenix Suns challenge Golden State Warriors, but fade again
OAKLAND – First, competing and playing hard.
Later, finishing.
In a familiar season theme, the Suns gave a game effort to challenge the mighty Golden State Warriors on their home court deep into the fourth quarter but faded like a desert mirage for a 133-120 loss on Sunday night at sold-out Oracle Arena.
The Suns repeated their Saturday night demise at home to Brooklyn, which had a 17-0 run to put away the game in the final four minutes. With a tougher task going on the road for a back-to-back against the rested Warriors, the Suns’ bench led a fourth-quarter charge to a 114-109 lead with 5:49 to go before Golden State put another crunch-time run on the Suns of 15-1.
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“Our team bounced back,” Suns coach Earl Watson said. “We understand that we have a young team. We understand we have a chance to win every night. Winning is important. Developing a closer is important. Being in position to finish games is important.
“We love our guys. We stand by our guys. We understand they are getting better.”
BOX SCORE: Warriors 133, Suns 120
The Suns (3-8) lost for a ninth consecutive meeting with the Warriors, who set a league season high for scoring. The Suns also lost for the 10th consecutive time at Oracle Arena but had a strong offensive night to score almost all night with Golden State.
The Suns’ top three scorers – Eric Bledsoe, Devin Booker and T.J. Warren – all average more than 18 points on the season and scored 18 or more Sunday night but it was 48 bench points that gave the Suns a chance to upset the Warriors.
“It’s tough,” Warren said. “We just have to keep pushing through and keep learning. We’re going to figure this thing out and get wins.”
But the Warriors’ star trio, featuring Klay Thompson and former MVPs Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant, was far too much for a Suns defense that gives up the most points in the NBA. Curry and Thompson, breaking out of a slump recently, each scored 30 points and Durant tried to join them but missed late to leave “Run TMC” as the last Warriors trio to do it in 1991.
“Kevin Durant, Steph Curry, Klay Thompson,” Watson said. “Five years from now, you’re going to say Eric Bledsoe, T.J. Warren, Devin Booker.”
Suns forward Jared Dudley thought the Suns could challenge the Warriors (8-2), as they did in Phoenix in the first week of the season, because of how they match up in the backcourt and with players who can switch defensively. He was correct and helped the cause by continuing his hot shooting with three 3-pointers, making him 11 for 19 on 3s in the past three games.
NOTES: Teen Dragan Bender learned to earn way on defense
The rest of the Suns continued to struggle from 3-point range but still thrived offensively, hitting 38 of 66 shots inside the arc and taking care of the ball. The Suns entered the fourth quarter trailing 99-92 but an all-reserve lineup scored 10 unanswered points with Durant on the floor for Golden State.
“You let a team get going, especially one that is as talented as these guys are, with all this fast, athletic talent, then they are coming downhill at you and it’s tough to corral them,” Golden State coach Steve Kerr said.
Dudley made a 3 with 5:49 to go for a 114-109 lead but the Suns could not get a stop. The bench stayed in until Leandro Barbosa had a consecutive airball and turnover but the starters could not stem the tide, especially when Draymond Green dribbled unmolested from the 3-point line for a dunk and a 124-115 lead with 2:39 remaining.
Barbosa was having a wonderful night until the consecutive errors. Golden State made a tribute video and fans gave him a standing ovation before he scored 11 points and dished four assists in 15 minutes.
“I wanted to win this game so bad and this has been happening a couple times, unfortunately,” Barbosa said. “… I had three straight mistakes. With a good team like that, they take advantage and they did. That gave the spark for them and the crowd got into the game and it was tough to shut it down.”
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The Suns played less of the one-on-one basketball that hurt them in a home loss to Brooklyn, getting ball movement from all position for 27 assists even though no player had more than five.
Golden State, the league’s top shooting team, shot 52 percent from the field and made 16 of 33 3-pointers with five apiece from Curry and Thompson.
“We need to bring this same fire to every game, not just get up for the big games or the big teams,” Booker said. “If we play this way throughout the whole season vs. just any other team, I feel like we have a lot more wins in this situation.
“We’re not satisfied with the close games any more.”
Center Tyson Chandler rejoined the Suns on Sunday in Oakland but was on the inactive list for the game. Chandler has missed the Suns’ past four games following his mother’s death Tuesday. Alex Len started but played only 18 minutes against the small lineups of the Warriors, who only played starting center Zaza Pachulia for 12 minutes.
Reach Paul Coro atpaul.coro@arizonarepublic.com or (60) 444-2470. Follow him at twitter.com/paulcoro.
Suns report
Key player: Golden State guard Stephen Curry made five of nine 3-point shots and scored 30 points.
Key moment: Trailing 114-109 with 5:49 to go, Golden State went on a 15-1 run with scoring from four players to take control down the stretch.
Key number: 16 and 8, Opponent and Suns made 3-pointers for a second consecutive game.
View from press row
This probably does not get any easier for Suns fans to read, any more than seeing him play for the Los Angeles Lakers. In his second year as a player development consultant for Golden State, Steve Nash popped in for a rare appearance at Warriors practice before they faced Phoenix. He spent time working with Kevin Durant on a familiar shot – the one-knee-up-and-out, lean-back shot. So Kevin Durant never will have a shot blocked now.
