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If you did not know what the date was, you'd think that the Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns were playing a playoff game Tuesday night in the desert instead of an early-season showdown between two legitimate NBA title contenders. The final score belies how tight and fierce the game was. Suns big man Deandre Ayton told reporters following the game that it was actually his team that sparked the feisty atmosphere of the contest, as they tried to test the threshold of what is allowed by the refs in terms of physicality.
“We set the tone with the legal physical limit,” Deandre Ayton explained, per Duane Rankin of AZ Central. “It got to them. Teams don't like it when you keep hitting people over and over, especially to the legal limit.”
The temperature hit its peak when Suns bucket-getter Devin Booker and Warriors sharpshooter Klay Thompson exchanged words that led to the latter being ejected for the first time in his career in the NBA.
Deandre Ayton also said that Draymond Green gave him the good ol' Draymond Green treatment, via Kellan Olson of AZ Sports.
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“I asked Ayton about the fall with Draymond Green and he thought Green was trying to get on his nerves all game.”
Ayton concluded his night with 16 points to go with 14 rebounds and four assists. Green and the Warriors evidently had some success in slowing down Ayton, as the Suns center committed four turnovers and also shot just 6-for-14 from the floor across 25 minutes of action.
Booker was feeling unstoppable, though. He led all scorers with 34 points on 10-for-19 shooting with 11 made attempts from the free-throw line.
