Suns drop to 4th place, now 1-4 without Booker after loss at Golden State

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SAN FRANCISCO – The short-handed Phoenix Suns failed to drive down the stretch in Saturday’s 109-105 loss to Golden State before a sellout crowd of 18,064 at the Chase Center.

Outscored 27-18 in the fourth, Phoenix (15-16) didn’t have another field goal after Josh Okogie’s 3 gave them a 100-91 lead with 6:39 left.

The Suns missed their last nine shots from the field as they were outscored 18-5 down the stretch.

Now 1-5 in their last six games, the Suns are under .500 for the first time since Christmas last season, when they fell to 14-15 after losing at home to Dallas on the holiday.

Kevin Durant scored a team-high 31 points and posted four blocks Saturday, but committed eight turnovers in a game with three in the game’s final six minutes.

Bradley Beal went for 28 points after scoring just 11 on 5-of-18 shooting in Friday’s loss at Dallas, but Andrew Wiggins blocked his 3 with 4:10 left and Phoenix up, 100-97.

Then, with Phoenix down three with 12.1 seconds left, Beal opted to go for two and missed with 6.4 seconds left. Jonathan Kuminga was fouled after grabbing the rebound and split two free throws with 3.9 seconds to seal the victory for Warriors (16-15), which snapped a three-game skid.

Kuminga scored a game-high 34 points with 13 in the fourth quarter.

Here are the takeaways from Saturday’s game, as both teams were on the second of a back-to-back.

Damage again a factor

Phoenix reentered the game without Devin Booker (left groin strain), Grayson Allen (concussion protocol) and Bol Bol (left knee contusion).

The Suns hope the two days between Saturday’s game and its New Year’s Eve game against Memphis at the Footprint Center will serve them well in getting those three back.

The NBA handed Jusuf Nurkic a three-game suspension without pay for his involvement in an “on-court altercation” with Dallas Mavericks forwards Naji Marshall and PJ Washington in Friday’s home loss. The 7-foot rejection began Saturday.

Now Phoenix could miss another key player for several games. Royce O’Neale, sprained his left ankle with 40.7 seconds left in the first half Saturday after blocking Dennis Schroder’s layup in transition and did not return.

He left the arena wearing a walking boot.

Not good. Not good at all.

Disaster in the fourth quarter

Yeah, they’re definitely missing Booker.

The Suns are 1-4 without him in their last five games. His presence alone gives everyone else, including Durant and Beal. more space and he can carry the offense down the stretch.

But even with him, Allen, Nurkic and O’Neale out, the Suns weren’t to go 4-of-19 from the field in the fourth quarter and miss 1-of-11 from 3, even though Golden State played good defense.

Insane.

Three quick points:

First, the Suns need to figure out a way for Durant to finish plays instead of having to initiate offense. Again, just because he can take over the game doesn’t mean it has to be off the bounce.

However, Jones took a 3 with Phoenix down one and Durant open on the sideline. Now Jones was open. The Suns want him to be aggressive, but in that moment, the extra pass to an open Durant is an even better look because he didn’t have to work for it.

Second, Mason Plumlee must be a threat inside, but he constantly kicks the ball out for 3 seconds even though he is in position to score. The Warriors started playing him for the pass and got at least one turnover out of it, if not both of Plumlee’s turnovers.

Yes, they want to generate 3s, but shot just 9 of 35. Beyond that, passing up easier twos can lead to fouls and three-point plays.

Three, the 14 turnovers led to 20 Golden State points.

Durant understands that he needs to be better in this area. He finished with just zero turnovers in the Christmas win over Denver and had just one Friday against Dallas after coughing up eight in the horrific loss to Detroit.

It’s not all that’s on him, but he’s closer. Durant could use a co-star in this department and a dagger guy to really make teams play to double and triple him.

Booker and Beal are the leading candidates to co-star, but who will be the guy hitting clutch shots down the stretch?

No need to panic, but…

The Suns are 31 games into the season and are under .500. Still haven’t reached the midway point of the season.

That’s good news.

They are just three games out of fifth place with the Los Angeles Lakers and sixth place with the Los Angeles Clippers.

Plus, Booker and Allen appear to be close to returning.

That’s even better news.

They have played well enough defensively to win the last two games.

It’s also a positive step forward, but they leave San Francisco realizing the Warriors won despite shooting just 12-of-45 on 3s with Stephen Curry going 4-of-13 from deep and scored 22 points.

Gotta win that game.

The Suns were up nine with six minutes left in the game and couldn’t close the deal.

That’s not good, especially 31 games into the season. Not good at all.

Do you have opinions about the current state of the sun? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at [email protected] or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.

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