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Matt Skilton
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Phoenix Suns vs Golden State
Suns Seize Control of the NBA After Toppling Warriors
Final score: Warriors 96-104 Suns
The Phoenix Suns seized control of the Western Conference and took the top seed in the league after taking down Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors at the Footprint Center.
Looking back at the 2018 NBA Draft, a lot of people will remember the Phoenix Suns had the first overall pick, now they have the best record in the league and have just clinched their 17th win on the trot.
On a night where Devin Booker was forced from the court with a left hamstring injury, DeAndre Ayton stepped up, scoring 24 points on what was the biggest game for the Suns thus far. Chris Paul was able to pick up a double-double, with 15 points and 11 assists, he was also massive on the defensive end, by picking up five steals.
For Steph Curry, it was a night to forget, the 2-time MVP shot under 20% from the field and was only able to muster up 12 points, his playmaking took a hit too as he could only manage two assists in 36 minutes of game time. Jordan Poole played extended minutes and repaid the faith put in him, as he scored a game-high 28 points during his 35 minutes on the court.
Devin Booker went down while attacking the basket, clutching his left leg, and was guided into the locker rooms moments before half-time. Despite losing their franchise player, the Suns stayed locked in during a tight contest and were able to take a 56-54 lead into half-time. The lead entering the fourth was still two points, with the score being 80-78. Both squads were locked in a close battle with the margin never going above double digits until a 3-pointer by Landry Shamet with less than a minute remaining.
The two sides who are regarded as the best in the league will now face off again on Friday, leaving the Suns in a tough spot as they are posed with the challenge of missing Booker for the highly touted rematch.
Suns coach Monty Williams addressed the effort by his other players after the game, “To me, this was just will and toughness,” Steph Curry also gave his point of view:
“With all of the mistakes we did have and how terrible I shot the ball, it was a close game down the stretch, I know Booker got hurt, but yes, it was a good learning lesson for us. Understanding the intensity and the focus we need to beat a team like that.”
The Warriors struggled in the second half, only scoring 42 points. The Suns also forced the Warriors to cough the ball up 22 times, which is something they will look to rectify come Friday.
Two of the best:
For the first time in league history, two teams have faced off from the same division, with percentages above .850, the Suns are also trying to set a record for the longest win streak in franchise history when they face the Detroit Pistons on Thursday, additionally, the Suns went the whole of November undefeated, the last time they tasted defeat was against the Sacramento Kings on the 27th of October.
Matt Skilton is a multimedia sports journalism graduate and covers all of your NBA needs at ThePyrrhic.com. Keep watching for recaps, analysis, trade news, and more!
Follow Matt on Twitter @MSkilton16
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