SAN FRANCISCO — In an impressive showing, Devin Booker led the Phoenix Suns to a decisive 130-105 win over the Golden State Warriors on Friday night, scoring 31 points and dishing out 11 assists. Kevin Durant contributed with 19 points against his previous team, while Nick Richards contributed significantly to the victory with 14 points and 16 rebounds. Bradley Beal was also a key player for Phoenix, coming off the bench to score 21 points.
For the Warriors, star player Stephen Curry had a challenging game. He scored his first points with a short jumper 7:38 before halftime, completing only his second shot of the game. He concluded the night with 14 points but struggled from beyond the arc, making just one out of six attempts, missing his first four 3-pointers before finally connecting with 11:12 left in the game. Moses Moody provided a boost off the bench, scoring 17 points for Golden State, which was aiming to capitalize on a recent 116-109 victory against the Oklahoma City Thunder, who are at the top of the Western Conference.
In terms of individual performances, Booker had a solid outing, shooting 7 of 15 in the first half and finishing with 12 for 23 overall, including five three-pointers. He is now 60 points away from surpassing Walter Davis as the all-time leading scorer for the Suns. This win marked a recovery for Phoenix, which had suffered a 121-113 defeat at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves just days earlier but has won six out of its last eight games.
On the Warriors’ side, Kevon Looney donned a protective mask after recently breaking his nose in collision against the Thunder. Coach Steve Kerr made the decision to start Quinten Post again, despite his struggles in the previous game where he played just eight minutes and had three fouls. Post managed to contribute nine points and eight rebounds in this contest.
A standout moment for the Suns came towards the end of the first half when Grayson Allen executed an alley-oop dunk, receiving a nearly three-quarter court bounce pass from Booker. This play catalyzed a scoring spree from Allen, who scored five consecutive points, helping the Suns enter halftime with a comfortable 62-51 lead.
Statistically, aside from the notable performances by Moody and Brandin Podziemski, who shot a commendable 4 of 7 from three-point territory, the Warriors faced challenges in their shooting, finishing with a stark 16 of 44 from beyond the arc.
Looking forward, the Suns will be heading to Portland for a back-to-back game against the Trail Blazers on Saturday night, marking the first of two games against them within three days. Meanwhile, the Warriors will return home to host the Orlando Magic on Monday night.
