PHOENIX — They did it once. They couldn’t do it twice.
A second double-digit deficit in as many play-in games proved to be enough to eliminate the Warriors, who scored the opening basket Friday night and never led again in a 111-96 loss to the Suns.
In a star-studded showdown for the final playoff berth in the Western Conference, it wasn’tSteph Curryor Devin Booker who took over.
Golden State had no answer for Jalen Green, who one-upped his 29-point performance in a play-in loss to the Blazers with a surprisingly efficient 36 points with eight 3-pointers.
Curry was limited to 17 points on 4-of-16 shooting after he scored 35 — 27 in the second half — during Golden State’scomeback win against the Clippers. The Warriors struggled to pick up the slack, managing just 15 points in a first quarter that ended with them down by 18.
Brandin Podziemski led the Warriors with 23 points and 10 rebounds but committed four of the Warriors’ 21 turnovers that the Suns turned into 30 points.
Draymond Green and Gary Payton II helped the Warriors contain Booker and Dillon Brooks well below their season averages — a combined 33 points — but they had no answer for Green.
Green and Booker were both ejected with the game out of hand late as players came chest-to-chest and multiple technical fouls were called.
Last year’s Heat remain the only No. 10 seed to advance from the bottom spot in the play-in to the playoffs. Golden State’s season is over.
The Warriorswill have the 11th-best odds in the lottery, giving them a 9.4% chance at a top-four draft pick and 2% odds at the No. 1 overall selection.
Source: California Post – Breaking California News, Photos & Videos
