The Phoenix Suns (24-22) visit the Stephen Curry-led Golden State Warriors (24-23) on Friday, airing on ESPN and Arizona’s Family (Ch. 3) in Phoenix, at 8 p.m.
This is the first of back-to-back games for the Suns to begin a four-game road trip. It’s also the third matchup of Phoenix’s’ four-game Pacific Division season series against Golden State. They split the first two meetings.
The Western Conference’s ninth-place Suns are led by Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. After an abysmal 4-9 record in December, they’ve had a decent 9-5 turnaround in January. The Suns lost their most recent home game, 121-113, to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday. Durant’s former team Golden State is 11th in the West, but have won their last two games and have gone 8-7 in January.
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Booker, Allen keep Suns in front through 2nd quarter
Phoenix stretched its lead to double digits in the second quarter, up 62-51 at halftime.
Devin Booker scored 10 of his 17 points and Grayson Allen put up eight of his total 11 on a stellar 4-of-5 shooting in the second period. Stephen Curry has been struggling, hitting only 1-of-5 for just two points.
The Suns and Warriors traded runs in the second quarter until Phoenix moved further ahead entering the intermission. Phoenix went on an early 10-0 run, which put them up 13 until Curry’s first made field goal ended that surge at 7:38. Then Golden State tightened the gap to six with 5:23 left in the quarter. After the Suns’ brief lull, Booker and Allen led an 8-0 run to put them in front by their largest advantage, 14, at 3:31.
Phoenix’s solid ball movement has accounted for 20 assists on 24 made shots (51.1% FG), and they have hit 9-of-19 from deep.
Durant puts Suns ahead in 1st quarter
Kevin Durant led all scorers with nine points and Devin Booker has seven as they drove the Suns to a 30-27 lead to close the first.
Stephen Curry hasn’t scored and took just one shot in the opening quarter.
The opening period’s margin was tight. Phoenix’s largest lead was four, Golden State’s was three, and there were eight lead changes, two ties. The Suns and Warriors made five and six triples, respectively.
Starting lineups
The Suns are starting Tyus Jones, Booker, swingman Ryan Dunn, Durant, and Nick Richards at the five.
The Warriors will open with Curry, two-guard Buddy Hield, Gary Payton II, Andrew Wiggins and center Quentin Post.
Suns at full strength
Phoenix had a rare full healthy pregame injury report with no players listed. The Warriors’ Draymond Green (illness, left calf strain) and Jonathan Kuminga (illness, right ankle) are out.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Suns-Warriors updates: Booker, Phoenix extend lead entering halftime
