|
 When's the last time someone said that?
The Golden State Warriors tuned up Wednesday night for the only team
that's beaten them this season by blowing out the Phoenix Suns
128-103.
Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green combined to make
eight consecutive shots, including five 3-pointers, during a
three-minute flurry late in the second quarter, propelling the
Warriors to their 25th win, their first since losing 108-95 to the
Milwaukee Bucks to end their season-opening winning streak.
"We're looking forward to it," Thompson said of the quick rematch
with the Bucks. "They were doing a lot of talking at the end of that
game. I can't wait to see them again."
Thompson finished with a season-best 43 points as the Warriors ran
their home record to 11-0 this season with a 29th consecutive win at
Oracle Arena dating back to last year.
The win was Golden State's eighth straight at home over the Suns,
who were playing for the third time in four nights. The Warriors,
meanwhile, enjoyed the previous three days off.
Perhaps showing the rust of the relatively long layoff following a
marathon, seven-game trip, the Warriors (25-1) trailed 42-38 in the
eighth minute of the second quarter before exploding past the Suns
(11-16) over the course of the next 17 minutes.
"That was the height of our game," Warriors coach Luke Walton said
of a stretch that included a 46-point third quarter. "When we take
care of the ball and get after it on defense ..."
The runaway began with eight straight hoops late in the second
quarter that produced a 21-4 burst and turned the four-point deficit
into a 59-46 lead with 1:41 left in the half.
Curry and Thompson each hit a pair of 3s, and Green dropped in a
fifth during the run. Curry also had a pair of 2-pointers, giving
him 10 of the Warriors' 21 points.
"We needed to come back and get a win," Green insisted. "Steph said
before the game, 'Hey, let's not lose two in a row. Let's come
protect our court.' It was important to get back in the swing of
things."
The lead reached 40 points before the end of the third quarter, with
Thompson pouring in 27 of his 43 in the period on 9-for-11 shooting.
"We can't put too much on Steph," Thompson said of his backcourt
mate, who had led the Warriors in scoring on all but three previous
occasions this season. "We all have to do our part."
The win was the Warriors' third of the season by 25 or more points.
Thompson, whose previous season best was 39 at Indiana eight days
earlier, hit 15 of 22 shots, including eight of 13 3-point attempts.
"It was fun to watch," Walton said of Thompson's big night. "When he
or Steph get going, they are such great shooters, it's really
amazing. I don't know how you stop it."
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It was just Thompson's second game since spraining his right ankle
late in the win over the Pacers. He totaled just 12 points when the
Warriors lost at Milwaukee to end their winning streak.
Curry had 25 points and seven assists in just 30 minutes. He
connected on 10 of 14 shots and two of his five 3-pointers on a
night when the Warriors shot 52.3 percent overall and 46.9 percent
from 3-point range.
Green managed his fourth triple-double of the season in 31 minutes,
putting up 16 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists to go with five
steals and a blocked shot.
"That is why they won a championship," Suns coach Jeff Hornacek
praised of the Warriors. "They had no problem running and we
couldn't contain them."
Backup forwards Mirza Teletovic and T.J. Warren had 24 and 19
points, respectively, and point guard Brandon Knight added 17 for
the Suns, who have lost three of four.
Phoenix shot 45.1 percent overall but just 22.7 percent on
3-pointers, missing 17 of 22.
"You have to be able to do a lot of things right to beat them,"
Hornacek said, noting his team's 21 turnovers. "We started the
second half and I think we had five turnovers in those first three
minutes. You can't turn the ball over against these guys."
NOTES: The Warriors' 46-point third quarter was the highest scoring
period for any team this season. ... The Warriors' 11-0 home start
is one win shy of the all-time franchise best of 12-0 accomplished
in the 1975-76 season. ... The home game was the Warriors' first
since Nov. 27, an 18-day span that was the club's longest since
moving west in 1962. ... SF Draymond Green's fourth triple-double of
the season tied him with Sacramento Kings PG Rajon Rondo for the
league lead. ... The Warriors hope to get SF Harrison Barnes (ankle)
back before the end of the five-game homestand that began Wednesday.
They already have ruled him out of Friday's game against Milwaukee.
... Suns C Tyson Chandler made his first start since the previous
meeting between the teams on Nov. 27. He missed eight consecutive
games with a strained right hamstring. He totaled six points and
five rebounds in 20 minutes.
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