Devin Booker leads Suns past Warriors in season opener
Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry drives against Phoenix Suns’ Devin Booker in 4th quarter during Suns’ 108-104 win during NBA game at Chase Center in San Francisco on Tuesday, October 24, 2023.Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle
2023.10.24 – Phoenix’s Devin Booker scored a go-ahead layup followed by a 3-pointer on the way to 32 points in a 108-104 Suns victory over the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night.
Kevin Durant greeted many of the people he knew so well during three sensational seasons with the Warriors then hardly showed off his best shooting performance on a night the Golden State fans finally got to cheer him all these years later.
He still spoiled the home team’s opening night as the Suns won the first match-up between the Pacific Division powerhouses.
“It’s always good to be recognized for the work you put in so it was exciting to see people I hadn’t seen in a while, some familiar faces,” Durant said. “I feel like the fan base here got nothing but love and respect for me as an individual player and as a person. That’s all I can ask for.”
Guard Stephen Curry scored 27 points to former shooting partner Durant’s 18 on a night the Warriors welcomed KD back for his first game in front of Bay Area fans since he left after the 2019 NBA Finals.
Curry scored seven straight points early in the third to pull the Warriors within 64-61 at the 8:21 mark and Phoenix called a timeout. Golden State opened the third on a 27-5 burst while the Suns went 2 for 14.
2023.10.24 – Warriors vs. Suns (NBA Video highlights)
Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry looks to pass against Phoenix Suns’ Josh Okogie in 4th quarter during Suns’ 108-104 win during NBA game at Chase Center in San Francisco on Tuesday, October 24, 2023.Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle
2023.10.24 – Warriors vs. Suns (NBA Video highlights)
2023.10.24 – Warriors vs. Suns (NBA Video highlights)
Suns’ Jusuf Nurkic had 14 points and 14 rebounds with a driving layup in the closing seconds in his debut. Josh Okogie knocked down a baseline 3 with 1:09 to play and Eric Gordon connected from long range with 45 seconds left before Curry hit from deep.
Booker started and also had eight assists and six rebounds after coming into the game questionable with soreness in his left big toe. He made his first three shots and scored eight of the Suns’ initial 13 points.
Durant was greeted with warm applause from the fans in their first time seeing him since he led the Warriors to a pair of championships with two NBA Finals MVP awards and three straight Finals berths from 2017-19.
The Warriors played video highlights on the big screen during pregame introductions. Durant patted his heart and raised his arm in the air to acknowledge the love then shot 7 for 22 with 10 rebounds.
“A lot of good moments in the video. We was able to relive some of those memories real quick,” Durant said. “But it was good to come in here and get the season started off right with a W.”
Durant played at Chase Center in February 2021 with Brooklyn when no fans were allowed in the building because of the pandemic then was injured this past March when the Suns last visited.
2023.10.24 – Warriors vs. Suns (95.7 The Game Post Game)
Golden State Warriors’ Chris Paul draws an offensive foul against Phoenix Suns’ Kevin Durant during NBA game at Chase Center in San Francisco on Tuesday, October 24, 2023.Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle
2023.10.24 – Warriors vs. Suns (95.7 The Game Post Game)
2023.10.24 – Warriors vs. Suns (95.7 The Game Post Game)
Guard Chris Paul contributed 14 points, nine assists and six rebounds in his Warriors debut facing his most recent team. Golden State acquired him on draft night from the Wizards — he never played in Washington — for Jordan Poole.
Paul missed his first six shots and all six of his 3-point tries but had three early assists.
“He’s a rhythm player so he’s really good at getting you the ball in spots you want it,” guard Moses Moody said.
Curry was 4-for-14 from distance, Klay Thompson finished 3-for-11 from 3-point range, Paul 0-for-6. But on a team that collectively shot badly Tuesday night, Curry said it would be unfair to make a scapegoat out of Thompson.
“I know that everybody is going to talk about our shooting percentage and try to single out (Klay) and whatnot, but it’s going to come,” Curry said.
KLAY THOMPSON CHASING NEW DEAL
Thompson finished 3-for-11 from 3-point range in a 6-for-18 effort. His shooting struggles against Phoenix followed a preseason in which he shot 28% from the field and 30.8% from deep across those five games. He had the second-most shot attempts among Golden State players Tuesday night.
This is the final season of Thompson’s five-year, $190 million deal. If Thompson and Golden State cannot find common ground on a new contract in the coming months, he will become a free agent in the summer. The ongoing negotiations are at a “dead point” because of a “significant gap” in years and money, according to Shams Charania at the Athletic’s.
2023.10.24 – Warriors vs. Suns (Kruger & Crew Post Game)
Golden State Warriors’ Klay Thompson reacts to his 4th quarter turnover during Phoenix Suns’ 108-104 win in NBA game at Chase Center in San Francisco on Tuesday, October 24, 2023.Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle
2023.10.24 – Warriors vs. Suns (Kruger & Crew Post Game)
2023.10.24 – Warriors vs. Suns (Kruger & Crew Post Game)
And though Thompson struggled on offense, head coach Steve Kerr applauded him for his defense on Kevin Durant, who shot 7-for-22 from the field. that group’s success will hinge on how well Thompson can guard taller, more physical forwards.
“I thought Klay was great,” Kerr said. “He just did his best to make things difficult on Kevin. There’s not a whole lot you can do once he rises up and gets that release way above his head. There’s not a whole lot you can challenge. So you just have to try to do your work early and I thought Klay did that. He was physical with him off the ball, tried to push him into some tough spots.” Kerr said “Kevin missed some that he will make next time, but Klay was really solid defensively.”
TIP-INS
Suns: G Bradley Beal missed the game with low back tightness but first-year coach Frank Vogel is optimistic he will play Thursday at the Lakers. “He is trying to loosen up the back and he just isn’t ready yet,” Vogel said. … Phoenix had lost 18 of the previous 22 on Golden State’s home floor.
Warriors: The Warriors have lost only five of their last 12 openers and are 44-34 playing their first home game of a season. … F Draymond Green, out the entire preseason with a sprained left ankle, missed the season opener for the second time in his career after a sore foot kept him out for the pandemic-delayed 2020-21 season.
UP NEXT
Suns: Visit the Lakers on Thursday night having lost the last two match-ups on the road.
Warriors: At Sacramento on Friday night in a rematch of the first round of the playoffs won by Golden State in Game 7.
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Read more at: Golden State Warriors Media Services / More AP NBA
JEstevez@EMIsportsCentral.com
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