Curry's 34 points lift Golden State past Phoenix 116-113

Golden State beat Phoenix 116-113 on Monday 2 November at the Chase Center, in front of 18,064 spectators, after trailing by 17 points (24-41) in the second quarter. Stephen Curry drove the comeback: 34 points, 11 of 12 from the free-throw line, 7 assists and a plus-minus of +21 in 33 minutes. The Warriors only edged in front late on, never leading by more than 7 points (104-97), before having to hold off one last Suns push.

The game, played overnight from Monday into Tuesday in the United States (4:00 on 3 November in Brazzaville), was Golden State's second in two nights. Kristaps Porzingis, Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody are listed as out for the Warriors, and Mark Williams for the Suns, according to the latest injury report. Curry and Draymond Green were reportedly rested the previous night, when Phoenix are said to have beaten the Clippers 124-112. With the win, Golden State move to 5-3 and sit 8th in the Western Conference. Phoenix fall to 1-4 and remain 12th.

Phoenix surge to 31 points, Golden State close in before the break

The Suns took the game by the throat. A 7-0 run took them from 6-7 to 6-14, then a 9-0 burst from 15-18 to 15-27, then another 7-0 straddling the first two quarters. The opening period ended 19-31 to Phoenix, who scored 31 points to the Warriors' 19. The gap reached 17 points at 24-41, with 8:29 left to half-time.

Golden State came back in two stages. A 12-0 run, from 39-55 to 51-55, cut the deficit to four, and the two teams went into the dressing rooms at 51-57. The second quarter yielded 32 points for Golden State against 26 for Phoenix, enough to bring the night back to life but not to turn it around.

Level at 93, then a three-point finish

The third quarter swung the game. Golden State scored 42 points to Phoenix's 36, including a 9-0 run from 64-73 to 73-73 that wiped out the last deficit of the period. The two sides were level at 93-93 going into the final quarter.

The Warriors then built their biggest lead of the night, 104-97 with 7:26 to play. Phoenix answered with a 9-0 run to move back in front, 106-104, with 5:29 left. Golden State won the closing stretch 12-7 and the final quarter 23-20. The game featured three lead changes.

Players of the match

Stephen Curry was the Warriors' fulcrum. Only part of his 34 points came from shooting, with 9 of 21 from the field: his 11 free throws from 12 made the difference, along with 7 assists and 3 turnovers. Brandin Podziemski added 20 points. Charles Bassey, a Nigeria-linked player, scored 19 points on 7 of 10 shooting, with 8 rebounds and a +10 in 23 minutes off the bench. Georges Niang, also a reserve, finished at +20 in 22 minutes, with 13 points on 5 of 6 shooting and no turnovers.

For the Suns, Devin Booker posted 26 points, going 8 for 8 from the line. His -18 in 35 minutes shows how heavily the Warriors dominated the stretches when he was on the floor. Miles Bridges made his presence felt at both ends of the court with 21 points and 4 steals. Dillon Brooks grabbed 8 rebounds and scored 18 points, but lost the ball 4 times. Oso Ighodaro made all 6 of his shots for 14 points.

Off nights weighed on both sides. Will Richard finished with 6 points, 2 of 7 shooting and a -17 in 28 minutes. Jalen Green ended the night 5 of 14 from the field, 0 of 4 from three-point range and 1 of 6 from the line, despite 8 rebounds and 8 assists in 36 minutes.

Three takeaways

A 17-point deficit erased. Golden State never led by more than 7 points, yet clawed back from 17 down (24-41) to win by three. The teams were level at 93-93 at the start of the final quarter, then again at 104-104 with 6:21 to play.

The free-throw line mattered more than shooting. Golden State made 31 of 37 free throws against 22 of 30 for Phoenix, a 9-point gap from those possessions alone, for a three-point margin on the scoreboard. The Suns did shoot better from the field (40 of 85, against 36 of 84) and had more assists (28 to 23).

Phoenix let a winnable game slip. Ahead 31-19 after one quarter, 12 points up midway through the second and 6 up at the end of the period, the Arizona side had the upper hand for more than half the night. Phoenix also turned the ball over more (15) than Golden State (13).

The SNA view

This game turned on details that the half-time score gave no hint of. Golden State made 13 of 42 from three-point range, or 31%, against 11 of 30 for Phoenix, and still won. The gain came from the volume of free throws and from the third quarter, where the Warriors gained 6 points over the period. Golden State's reserves, Bassey and Niang, have the best plus-minus figures on their team (+10 and +20), while Phoenix's top scorer, Booker, finishes at -18. In our view, this win owes less to a flash of brilliance than to discipline at the free-throw line, which counts for more than the three-point percentage for a team without several key players.

What next

Golden State, 5-3, are 8th in the Western Conference in the 3 November standings. Phoenix, 1-4, are 12th. The Suns are at home to Portland on 5 November at 3:00 in Brazzaville.