In the Warriors’ tough loss to the Suns, Moses Moody and Kevon Looney stood out as the lone defensive bright spots.
The Warriors’ defense, which played a crucial role in their recent victory over the NBA’s top team, completely unraveled in their 130-105 loss to the Phoenix Suns at Chase Center on Friday. While Golden State’s offense showed glimpses of life, it was their inability to consistently stop Phoenix that led to their downfall.
“They made a lot of tough shots, but it’s our job to make them miss,” said Warriors guard Moses Moody. “We definitely could have done better on that end.”
Phoenix’s powerhouse duo of Devin Booker and former Warrior Kevin Durant proved to be a major challenge, with Durant particularly difficult to handle during a late third-quarter surge. Moody started strong in his defense of Durant, but overall, the Warriors couldn’t contain Booker, who finished with 31 points and 11 assists.
Unlike their previous game against the Thunder, where Shai Gilgeous-Alexander dropped 52 points, Phoenix wasn’t reliant on just one player. The Suns had solid contributions from other key players, including center Nick Richards, who recorded a double-double with 14 points and 16 rebounds. Phoenix’s bench, led by Bradley Beal and Grayson Allen, combined for 32 points, outscoring Golden State’s bench 56-49.
The Suns shot an impressive 56% from the field and dominated inside with a 56-36 edge in the paint.
“Different teams have different strengths. They hit a lot of shots tonight,” Moody said. “Against OKC, it was more about Shai controlling the ball. We were able to manage that game with our strategy.”
Unfortunately, the strategy Golden State employed against Phoenix didn’t work, as the Suns posted their second-highest point total of the season, exceeding their season average by almost 18 points.
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr acknowledged the offense’s role in the loss, stating, “I thought our offense didn’t help our defense, and once the Suns got going, they were tough to stop. They had a great night.”
A silver lining for Golden State was Moody’s defensive effort against Durant. The 6-foot-5 guard was physical, forcing Durant into tough shots. Despite Durant finishing with 19 points and five 3-pointers, it was one of his more challenging shooting performances, going 6 of 13 (46.2%).
“It’s tough to deal with him if he gets to the spots he wants, but if you fight early, you can gain an advantage,” Moody said. “That was my mindset—being physical.”
On the offensive side, Moody contributed as well, going 5 of 10 from the field, including four 3-pointers, and scoring 17 points—his most since a season-high 19 points against the Cleveland Cavaliers in December.
There’s some hope for the Warriors’ defense, as Draymond Green, who has missed the last seven games with a calf strain, has returned to on-court work and could be ready to play soon.
“He scrimmaged today and will practice with us tomorrow,” Kerr said. “We’re expecting him to play sometime next week. Not sure which game, but we’ll see how he progresses. He’s on the right track.”
Leave a Reply