The Golden State Warriors ended the Phoenix Suns’ 18-game winning streak and reclaimed the top spot in the Western Conference on Friday night, riding a long-range barrage led by Stephen Curry to a 118-96 victory in San Francisco.
Curry finished with a game-high-tying 23 points, a majority coming on six of the Warriors’ 19 3-pointers, as Golden State avenged a 104-96 loss at Phoenix on Tuesday by handing the Suns their first loss since Oct. 27.
The win was the Warriors’ 11th straight at home, all of which have come by at least 10 points.
In winning for the eighth time in their last nine games and improving to an NBA-best 19-3, Golden State led most of the way but saw the Suns climb within 83-74 after consecutive JaVale McGee hoops early in the fourth quarter.
But Juan Toscano-Anderson made one of two free throws after a flagrant foul, and Gary Payton II hit from the interior and outside the 3-point arc in a six-point burst that opened a 15-point advantage.
Phoenix, which fell to 19-4 while playing a second consecutive game without leading scorer Devin Booker, got no closer than 12 after that.
After being held to 12 points Tuesday on just 4-for-21 shooting, including 3-for-14 from 3-point range, Curry made eight of his 20 shots overall and six of his 11 3-point attempts in the rematch.
Payton and Andrew Wiggins bombed in three 3-pointers apiece en route to 19 points each for the Warriors, who shot 19-for-39 (48.7 percent) from long distance.
Toscano-Anderson went for 17 points off the bench, while Jordan Poole added 14 for Golden State, which hopes to see Klay Thompson make his season debut before month’s end.
Draymond Green recorded the unusual no-doubles combination of nine points, nine rebounds and nine assists to go with six steals and three blocks for the Warriors, who outshot the visitors 48.9 percent to 38.3 percent. Green’s rebounds, assists, steals and blocks were all game highs.
Deandre Ayton matched Curry’s 23 points to pace the Suns, whose 18-game winning streak was a franchise record and equaled the 11th-longest run in NBA history.
Chris Paul finished with 12 points and a team-high eight assists for the Suns, while Cameron Johnson chipped in with 12 points and Jae Crowder 11.
Landry Shamet shot 3-for-3 on 3-pointers to account for all nine of his points, but his Phoenix teammates combined for just 5-for-19 from beyond the arc as the Suns were outscored 57-24 on 3-pointers.
–Field Level Media
