Late-game run needed to beat last-place team
PHOENIX — The past month has been a stark contrast from this time last year, when the Warriors entered the All-Star break in a 4-4 rut. Energized by the addition of DeMarcus Cousins, Golden State looked borderline unstoppable when it arrived at Talking Stick Resort Arena on Friday night, having won 13 of its previous 14 games.
“Last year, it felt like we were dragging,” Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said roughly 90 minutes before tip-off against the Suns. “This year, it’s moving along pretty smoothly.”
By that measure, few could be blamed for feeling a bit of deja vu watching Golden State’s 117-107 win over Phoenix on Friday. Much of the night, the Warriors conjured memories of last February, appearing lethargic as they let a vastly inferior opponent hang with them.
Not until the Suns, who own half as many wins as the Western
Conference’s next-worst team, seized a 94-88 lead with 8:35 left did Golden State finally jolt out of its malaise. In less than three minutes, the Warriors feasted on enough dunks and layups for a 13-0 run that put them up seven points.
Draymond Green, who was ejected at the end of the third quarter after he picked up his second technical for jawing with the referee, watched from the locker room as teammates polished off a double-digit victory. Phoenix — without injured guard Devin Booker, the team’s leading scorer — had played an inspired 40 minutes, only to fall victim to a 29-15 blitz and stare down its 13th straight loss.
“The Suns did a pretty good job of it,” Kerr said. “They totally outplayed us all night. The only reason we won is because we have a lot more talent, obviously. … It’s not a game that we’re going to be particularly proud of, but we’ll take the win and move on.”
During video review, Golden State will have plenty to study. It committed 18 turnovers, including 11 in the first half, and gave up 19 offensive rebounds. Before settling into a rhythm down the stretch, Stephen Curry missed 10 of his first 11 shots.
But even without Green in the fourth, the Warriors wore down a Suns team light on proven talent. Golden State finished 41-for-81 (50.6 percent) from the field. With Klay Thompson (25 points on 9for-17 shooting) leading the way, all five Warriors starters scored in double figures.
Cousins, who was assessed a technical midway through the second quarter after arguing with referees, finally eclipsed the 25-minute mark. During a timeout midway through the fourth, Cousins told Kerr to let him stay in and Kerr relented.
In his ninth game back from a torn left Achilles tendon that sidelined him almost a year, the four-time All-Star showed flashes of dominance, finishing with 18 points, five rebounds, four assists, a block and two steals in 27 minutes.
“I was honestly just trying to perform on the floor, because we came out looking like s— tonight,” Cousins said. “KD hollered at me during the game and was like, ‘We’ve got to bring more energy.’ I was like, ‘I agree with you 100 percent,’ and he was like, ‘It starts with me and you.’ Our energy is terrible. I just try to make a change on the fly and pull out a tough win.”
Kerr credits Cousins’ arrival for helping the Warriors guard against the doldrums that plagued them at this time last year. Though they’ve endured relentless speculation in recent days about Kevin Durant’s pending free-agency this summer, Golden State is poised to enter the All-Star break next week playing its best basketball of the season.
“Hopefully we can go 3-0 in these last three and go into the All-Star break feeling really good about ourselves,” said Thompson, who turned 29 Friday. “We’re playing at a really high level, and it’s a good sign with not so many games left in the regular season. We’ll just enjoy this ride; it’s a lot of fun.”