Golden State Warriors have fun coaching themselves vs. Suns

Golden State Warriors, Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)
Golden State Warriors, Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The Golden State Warriors defeated the Phoenix Suns 129-83 on Monday at Oracle Arena.

After a convincing 122-105 win over the San Antonio Spurs last Saturday, the reigning champion Golden State Warriors successfully defended Oracle Arena Monday night against the visiting Phoenix Suns, winning the game 129-83.

With a number of guys acting as “player-coaches” for the first time since the 70’s, the Warriors FINALLY got out to a great start, earning a 25-24 lead in the first quarter. While they continued to have trouble stopping Elfrid Payton, Golden State’s offense continued to gain steam in the second, closing the first half 62-45.

The Dubs continued to dominate offensively in the third quarter, scoring 37 points while holding the Suns to 26. They closed out the game limiting Phoenix to only 12 points in the fourth quarter.

The Warriors improve their regular season record to 44-13 with their win over the Suns. They’ll look to extend their current win streak to four consecutive games when they visit the Portland Trail Blazers (31-26) at the Moda Center next Wednesday.

The Blazers will be coming off a 115-96 loss at home to the Utah Jazz. Wednesday’s contest will be both Golden State’s and Portland’s last game before NBA All-Star Weekend kicks off on Friday, Feb. 16.

Stephen Curry paced the Warriors Monday night, finishing with 22 points, nine rebounds, seven assists and one block on 8-of-17 shooting from the field, 3-of-9 shooting from long range and 3-of-3 shooting from the free throw line.

Kevin Durant tallied 17 points, seven rebounds, six assists and two blocks on 8-of-9 shooting from the field and 1-of-1 shooting from the three-point line. He was extremely efficient in his 30 minutes on the floor.

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Klay Thompson recorded 16 points, one assist and one block on 7-of-12 shooting from the field and 2-of-4 shooting from behind the arc, while Omri Casspi contributed 19 points, 10 rebounds and two assists on 7-of-10 shooting from the field and 1-of-2 shooting from behind the arc.

Nick Young added 16 points, three rebound and two steals in 17 minutes off the bench. He finished a team-high +34 on 5-of-10 shooting.