The Phoenix Suns successfully withstood a significant comeback effort by the Golden State Warriors, securing a 123-115 victory on Wednesday, November 22, at the Footprint Center in Phoenix.
The game was overshadowed by controversy when Warriors point guard Chris Paul, returning to Phoenix after spending the previous three seasons with the Suns, was ejected in the second quarter by referee Scott Foster.
This resulted from a heated exchange with the infamous official, with whom Paul has a history of tension.
Here are three takeaways from the heated game.
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Kevin Durant is playing at an MVP level
Durant, currently in his 16th year in the NBA, continues to showcase that he remains among the elite players in the league, as evidenced by his performance in this particular game.
The 35-year-old scored 32 points on 7-of-14 shooting and 3-of-4 from beyond the arc, adding eight rebounds in 34 minutes of action.
Having played in all 15 games for Phoenix this season, where they hold a 9-6 record, the two-time NBA Finals MVP has scored below 30 points in only six instances.
Durant has played a crucial role in keeping the team competitive, particularly during the games when Devin Booker was sidelined due to a calf injury.
Great boost from the Warriors' bench
Trailing 86-66 with only four minutes left in the third quarter, Steve Kerr decided to shake things up by fielding a lineup of Brandin Podziemski, Cory Joseph, Gui Santos, Moses Moody, and Dario Saric.
Despite the Suns maintaining their rotation players, the Warriors' bench unexpectedly showed great competitiveness, steadily reducing PHX's lead. Kerr chose to stick with this lineup as the fourth quarter commenced, successfully cutting the deficit to ten points.
As the fourth quarter progressed, the Suns again extended their lead after the Warriors' starters came back, as Stephen Curry and co. encountered difficulties in narrowing the gap.
Nevertheless, an impressive surge from the all-bench lineup brought the Suns' lead down to six with only 1:48 remaining, prompting the Suns to reintroduce Kevin Durant and Devin Booker into the game.
With 19 seconds left, the Golden State Warriors were within striking distance, trailing only three points. Unfortunately, the Suns secured their victory by making crucial free throws, preventing a potentially catastrophic collapse.
Still, it was a great performance for the Dubs bench, and they may have earned themselves more minutes in the future.
Woes continue for Golden State
The Warriors are considerably far from their championship form, and they are now 2-8 in their last ten games, with Stephen Curry having his worst performance of the season in this game.
The four-time NBA champion scored 16 points in 6-of-15 shooting, including a woeful 1-of-8 beyond the arc.
Despite this, the Dubs could look forward to the improved performances of Klay Thompson, who, after struggling for most of the season, has recorded his second 20-point game in a row.
The sharpshooter scored 23 points and nailed six threes, potentially hinting a return to form.
The Warriors need many answers right now as they fell to 7-9 for the season after a hot 5-1 start.
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