The 18-game win streak for the NBA’s Phoenix Suns is over. The Golden State Warriors kept the Suns from winning 19 straight when they beat them 118-96 this past Friday to get revenge.
After Phoenix beat Golden State on November 30, the Warriors made sure it didn’t happen again when Steph Curry led them with 23 points, six three-pointers, five rebounds, and five assists. The Suns won the Western Conference last year, but the Warriors, so far, are making sure that won’t happen again.
“We know that we’re trying to catch them, not vice-versa,” Head Coach Steve Kerr said. “We haven’t been to the playoffs for two years. We’re trying to catch them, and we know they’re the best in the West until someone knocks them off.”
Phoenix started the season on top of the West, but now the Warriors have a slim lead with a 19-3 record. Golden State held their rivals to a season-low in points to the consternation of their Head Coach.
“They did a good job of speeding us up,” the Suns Monty Williams said. “We did that to them the other day. That’s part of the chess match. When we got to the paint and found guys, it was phenomenal in the second quarter, but that’s the only quarter we did it consistently.”
The Suns got as close as 83-74 after a dunk by JaVale McGee early in the fourth quarter but never got closer. Gary Payton II then took over by scoring on four straight possessions to put Golden State ahead by 20.
The Warriors extended its home winning streak to 11 while Andrew Wiggins scored 19, and Draymond Green had nine points, nine assists, nine rebounds, six steals, and three blocks.
“They got us at their home, so we had to come here and protect our house,” Wiggins said. “They made it hard for us. Facing them is gonna be a battle all the time.”
Coach Williams tried his best to keep all the talk of the streak to a minimum while at the same time encouraging his players to enjoy the ride. Now he doesn’t have to worry about that anymore after Phoenix’s first loss since October 27.
“We were, especially in the second half, much more patient,” Kerr said. “Once we settled down after that sort of disastrous final four minutes of the second quarter, we were really poised, competed, and earned a really good win.”
After this Warriors win, the only talk that matters now is which team will win the West, with their next meeting set for Christmas in Phoenix.
Article by: Chris Steele, iHearts143Quotes Team member
