Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry. Photo by Mark Goldman/UPI |
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OAKLAND, Calif. -- Stephen Curry bombed in 3-pointers early and late in a 14-0, fourth-quarter run Saturday night, helping the Golden State Warriors escape an upset bid by the Phoenix Suns with a hard-earned 123-116 victory.
Playing without NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Andre Iguodala, who sprained his left ankle in Friday's win over Portland, the Warriors (59-6) were able to overcome a 10-point, third-quarter deficit en route to their 48th consecutive home win, their 30th in a row this season.
Curry, who missed most of the third quarter in foul trouble, returned to score 15 points in the fourth, allowing the Warriors to finish off a 4-0 season-series sweep of the Suns (17-49) with their seventh consecutive win over their Pacific Division rival.
The Warriors trailed 108-105 before Curry began the frantic finish with a game-tying 3-pointer with 5:36 to go.
While the Suns missed their next six shots, the Warriors got a tie-breaking dunk by reserve big man Marreese Speights, a dunk by Harrison Barnes and a second 3-pointer by Curry, establishing a 115-108 lead with 3:31 left.
Draymond Green made it a nine-point game with a driving hoop, and Curry capped the 14-0 run with two free throws, extending the Golden State lead to 119-108 with 2:17 to go.
Curry finished with a game-high 35 points, connecting on seven of his 16 3-point attempts. He also found time for six assists.
Speights added 25 points on 10-for-14 shooting, Klay Thompson had 20 and Green 19 for the Warriors, who improved to 4-0 on current six-game homestand.
Speights also tied Barnes for the Warriors' lead in rebounds with nine in just 18 minutes of play.
Brandon Knight, who ignited a Suns third-quarter surge, led Phoenix with 30 points, 21 of which came on seven-for-12 3-point shooting. He also had seven assists and six rebounds.
Big men Alex Len (26 points, 13 rebounds) and Tyson Chandler (12 points, 12 rebounds) and guard Devin Booker (18 points, 11 assists) all recorded double-doubles for the Suns, who have lost 18 of their last 21 games.
Booker's 18-point total, which came on seven-for-19 shooting, denied him a chance to become the first NBA rookie to score 30 or more in three straight games.
The Warriors trailed 95-86 after three quarters, but scored the first nine points of the fourth quarter and tied the game on Speights' third hoop of the period.
A 3-pointer by Knight gave the Suns one final lead at 108-105 with 5:47 to go, before Curry countered with the first of his two 3's in the game-swinging run that put Golden State in a position to keep its streak alive.
The Suns trailed by as many as 11 points in the second quarter and 60-56 at halftime before surging into the lead with Curry on the bench in foul trouble in the third quarter.
Booker's three-point play on a fast break broke a 74-all tie and backcourt mate Knight bombed in three 3-pointers in an 18-8 flurry that shockingly had the Suns in front 92-82 with 1:35 remaining in the period.
The Phoenix lead was 95-86 at quarter's end, the result of 39-point explosion built upon 15-for-22 shooting.
NOTES: Asked before the game if supersub SF Andre Iguodala (sprained ankle) being out an estimated two weeks was a big deal, Warriors coach Steve Kerr said, "A real big deal. Andre is so important to everything we do." ... The Warriors were named "Best Analytics Organization" on Saturday at the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference in Boston. The Chicago Blackhawks, Houston Astros and FC Midtjylland of Denmark were the other finalists. ... The Warriors played home games on consecutive nights for just the 15th time in the last 25 years. The Warriors were 6-8 on the second night of such sequences entering Saturday. ... The last Suns player to score 30 or more points in three consecutive games was PF Amar'e Stoudemire in March 2010. ... Suns SF Mirza Teletovic began the night needing 12 3-pointers as a reserve to equal the franchise record of 150 by a nonstarter held by Danny Ainge (1992-93).
