The Golden State Warriors lost to the Phoenix Suns 123-115 on Wednesday in a game not nearly as competitive as the final score suggests. If not for a spirited last-ditch effort from their bench midway through the third quarter and in extended garbage time late, Golden State would've been on the wrong end of another blowout. Let's dive into three instant reactions from the Warriors' ugly loss to the Suns.
Warriors lose control in disastrous second quarter
Golden State led 31-26 after the opening stanza, playing well on the back of another hot start from Klay Thompson, intentional halfcourt offense and connected team defense. All of that momentum vanished once the second quarter tipped off, a lineup of Chris Paul, Thompson, Moses Moody, Jonathan Kuminga and Trayce Jackson-Davis quickly surrendering the lead. The Dubs came out with lacking energy on both sides of the ball, giving the Suns a window to wrest back control of the game.
Even naysayers had to be surprised at just how quickly the Warriors lost it, though. Turnovers began racking up and they couldn't stop fouling, leading to frustration that affected Golden State's focus and intensity defensively. Shifting to a 1-2-2 zone at least got the Suns out of rhythm offensively, but the quintet of Paul, Curry, Thompson, Andrew Wiggins and Jackson-Davis was absolutely dominated on the glass, leading to several extra possessions for Phoenix.
That's what preceded Paul's initial technical foul and abrupt ejection for arguing with longtime officiating foe Scott Foster late in the second quarter. Paul clearly fouls Durant on the possession below, but his exasperation as the Warriors were unraveling on both ends must have reached a boiling point.
The Suns were up 63-47 after Durant and Devin Booker canned a whopping five free throws for Paul's personal foul, ejection and a related technical called on Steve Kerr. Golden State trailed by that same score heading into halftime, lucky to avoid a run-out layup as time expired after Thompson shot way too early on the other end.
The Warriors were outscored 37-16 in the second quarter, a game-changing debacle that was fully deserved. You can't cough up nine turnovers, put the opposition in early bonus with needless fouling and commit a series of defensive breakdowns while expecting to remain competitive against a quality foe on the road. Paul's ejection was just the cherry on top of perhaps Golden State's worst quarter of the season so far—one that seemed eerily familiar to disastrous stints strewn throughout its ugly 2022-23 campaign.
Dubs' defensive breakdowns abound
It's not exactly surprising the Warriors' defense just isn't the same without Draymond Green. He's not just an all-time help defender still capable of checking five positions, but might be basketball's foremost defensive quarterback. No one in the league communicates and barks orders like Draymond.
But he wasn't the only impact defender missing on Wednesday. Gary Payton II sat out his third straight game with a sprained ankle, leaving the Dubs absent their two defensive players best equipped to deal with Durant and Booker both in isolation and when they draw help, putting the defense in scramble situations. It showed from shortly after the opening tip in the desert, Golden State looking unprepared to execute basic defensive principles and play to the scouting report.
Kerr was incensed when Moody was beaten to the rim by Nassir Little—a streaky three-point shooter at best—on an overzealous close-out, the second straight possession the Warriors inexplicably ran him off the arc.
Grayson Allen wouldn't have a job in the league if he wasn't a deadeye shooter, and didn't even have time on the shot clock to turn the corner all the way to the rim on this possession. Thompson and Jackson-Davis should both know they need to crowd Phoenix's sharpshooter here.
Instead, they miscommunicate on the most basic of off-ball switches, giving Allen plenty of space to launch unencumbered, bailing the Suns out of what should've been a wasted trip.
Help defense wasn't much better for the Warriors.
Curry is the culprit on both of these easy Phoenix buckets. First, he fails to ‘X out' on the weak side as Golden State sends two to the ball after Booker gets Kevon Looney on a switch, oddly pointing toward Wiggins to close back out to the corner rather than leaving a far less dangerous shooter on the wing. The second clip is more easily diagnosed yet just as damning. Look at Curry as Durant catches and curls around an off-ball screen from Jusuf Nurkic, his back completely turned to the play despite owning low-man responsibilities.
Every team in the league would struggle to get stops at a winning rate down defenders the caliber of Green and Payton. Still, the Warriors' execution was jarringly bad at times on Wednesday, hopefully the result of waning confidence and engagement as shots clanked and turnovers mounted as opposed to a more lasting indication of their all-around defensive teeth.
Klay Thompson has found his jumper
The one major silver lining—other than a yeoman's effort from reserves late—from the Dubs' seventh loss in eight games? Thompson seems to have found his jumper. After eclipsing 20 points for the first time this season in Monday's win over the Houston Rockets, he dropped 23 points in Phoenix, going 6-of-10 from beyond the arc in just 25 minutes of court time.
Thompson scored 11 of Golden State's first 13 points on Wednesday, getting buckets from all over the floor. A pair of early threes and and-1 rim attack were certainly good to see, but his most encouraging score of the night was probably this baseline leaner over the top of Booker after slipping out of a staggered ball screen.
The Warriors don't need Thompson to take such a difficult shot. His early-season labors came in part because the 33-year-old was noticeably pressing, regularly launching tough jumpers despite easy passing outlets presenting themselves.
Still, it's telling that Thompson got such a hard look to fall. His shot appeared just as clean for the game's remainder, irrespective of his base and footwork. This is the marksman that has a case as the second-best shooter ever behind his fellow Splash Brother.
Golden State, suddenly 7-9 after a 6-2 start, has many questions to answer going forward about where it stands in a highly competitive Western Conference. At least the state of Thompson's jump shot and overall offensive effectiveness is no longer among them.
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