Warriors’ bravado from OKC win disappears in let-down loss to Suns originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO – In two games transpiring over 50 hours ending around 9:30 Friday night, the Warriors presented a perfect microcosm of their beleaguered 2024-25 NBA season.
Bullies on Wednesday, beating an Oklahoma City Thunder team that came to town with the best record in the NBA.
Bullied on Friday, thrashed by the ninth-place Phoenix Suns.
Golden State’s 130-105 loss to the Suns crushed spirits throughout the sellout crowd, nudged general manager Mike Dunleavy a few inches closer to the edge of his seat and practically mocked the encouraging tone of some of coach Steve Kerr’s pregame comments.
“Very disappointing,” Kerr said afterward. “We were hoping to follow up on the effort the other night. It wasn’t there for us. Give Phoenix the credit. They played a great game. We’ve got to keep battling. We’ve got bounce back on Monday and carry on.”
With an opportunity to snag their first three-game win streak since mid-November, the Warriors responded with a litany of their worst traits, the most destructive being puzzling decisions on offense and providing the Suns with all-expenses-paid trips to the hoop on defense.
What happened to all the eye-of-the-tiger bravado, particularly on defense, that was so visible on Wednesday?
“It was there early,” Kerr said. “We actually played a decent first quarter. Our defense wasn’t great, but we moved the ball and had some good possessions. We were right there. And in the second quarter, the game got away from us. I thought our shoulders sagged a little bit.
“This league, the way people play now, with the 3-point line, with the pace, games can get away from you in a hurry. That’s what happened tonight, I thought, and it may have caused us to lose a little confidence.”
The Warriors were outscored 68-54 in the middle quarters. The Suns shot 56.2 percent from the field, including 48.7 percent beyond the arc, repeatedly manipulating Golden State’s defense for open 3-points shots from all angles. Their top scorers – Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal – combined for 71 points on 27-of-48 shooting, including 13 of 23 from deep.
If that weren’t damaging enough, Suns big men Nick Richards and Mason Plumlee had their way in the paint, combining for 24 points on 10-of-13 shooting, adding 22 rebounds and six blocks. The Warriors, despite 7-foot Quinten Post getting his second consecutive start, looked downright miniature.
“To see the way we played on Wednesday and then to lay an egg tonight,” said Brandin Podziemski, “that speaks to our inconsistency.”
Once the game spun out of control in the third quarter, the most competitive battle in the building was the loud trash talk between Suns superstar Kevin Durant and always loquacious Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Gary Payton, who was sitting three rows off the side of the court.
If only “The Glove” were able to turn the clock back 30 years and suit up, the Warriors could have used him to offer some defensive resistance.
Stephen Curry had another game beneath his lofty standard – 14 points, 5-of-14 shooting from the field, including 1 of 6 from distance – but even his best effort would not have been enough to prevent this spanking. He got one shot in the first quarter, five in the first half.
Is help on the way? Soon. Draymond Green scrimmaged Friday morning, passing his first test and is on schedule to return in a matter of days.
“The connection that he has with Steph, he knows how to get Steph the ball. Get him shots. Get him free,” Kerr said. “That was part of the problem in the first half.
“We weren’t finding ways to get him the ball. I’ve got to do a better job of that. Draymond will help when he came back.”
Can’t come too soon. Not after a night when the audacity and resilience the Warriors displayed two days earlier never made it inside Chase Center.
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