Warriors Narrowly Defeat the Suns! Kuminga Scores 34+9 to Make a Big Contribution, Curry Gets 22+6, Durant Misses a Crucial Shot with 31+6
On December 29th, Beijing time, the NBA regular season saw the Warriors narrowly defeat the Suns with a score of 109-105. In the first quarter, the Warriors led by 7 points with a score of 34-27. In the second quarter, Beal led the team to a counterattack climax of 26-9, turning the situation around with a single-quarter score of 38-27, and the Suns overtook the Warriors by 4 points at halftime. In the second half, the Warriors started the third quarter with a 7-0 lead, and after Curry was substituted, Durant led the team to regain the initiative with an 11-3 run. At the end of the third quarter, the Suns were leading by 5 points. In the final quarter, the two teams played very closely, and at a critical moment, the Suns' offense stalled. Schroder hit a key three-pointer, and ultimately, the Warriors won at home.
Statistical Highlights
Warriors: Curry scored 22 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists; Green had 16 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block; Jackson contributed 16 points and 10 rebounds; Kuminga had 34 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assists; Schroder added 9 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists.
Suns: Durant scored 31 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 blocks, and had 8 turnovers; Beal had 28 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks, and 1 steal; Dunn contributed 15 points and 4 rebounds; Jones had 8 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists; Plumlee added 2 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists; Okogie had 11 points and 9 rebounds.
Game MVP
Kuminga came off the bench, shooting 12 for 20 to score 34 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assists. He led the Warriors to victory against the Suns, becoming the game's top contributor.
Unexpected Incidents
During the game, Suns' tough defender Royce O'Neal suffered an injury while blocking Schroder, twisting his ankle at a 90-degree angle and leaving the court in pain. He was forced to withdraw from the game due to an ankle sprain.
Warriors player Pojems also had to leave early due to a lower abdominal strain. He played for 11 minutes off the bench, going 0 for 1 with no points, 2 rebounds, and no assists.
Highlight Moments
Durant made a mid-range jumper over Kuminga.
Green hit three consecutive three-pointers in the second quarter and scored 14 points in that quarter alone.
Beal scored aggressively with a self-rebound.
Beal hit a trailing three-pointer over Pojems.
Curry dribbled past Durant and made a buzzer-beating floater under defense.
Kuminga stole the ball and made a dunk to ignite the stadium.
Game Recap
In the first quarter, Beal opened the scoring with a three-pointer, which Wiggins responded to with a three-pointer of his own. Dunn followed up with a three-pointer, and Beal continued to score with mid-range jumpers. Green made a cutting dunk, and Curry opened his account with a three-pointer. Beal then hit another three-pointer, and Jones made a driving layup. Schroder also attacked the basket, resulting in a close battle between the two teams. After a timeout, Durant and Curry exchanged shots, with Kuminga contributing 7 points through drives and outside shots to help the Warriors. Durant continued to score with mid-range jumpers, and Kuminga made a fastbreak dunk. TJD made an alley-oop dunk, and Durant completed a putback 2+1. TJD scored another two points, and the Warriors led the Suns 34-27 at the end of the first quarter. Both Durant and Beal scored 10 points in the first quarter, while Curry had 8 points and Kuminga came off the bench to score 12 points.
In the second quarter, TJD scored with a cutting layup, but then the Warriors' offense stalled. Beal led the team on an 8-0 run to close the gap to one point. Wiggins scored to stop the bleeding, and Dunn followed up with a self-rebound and putback. Curry hit a three-pointer, and Morris drove to the basket for a layup. Beal scored with a pull-up jumper, and Green made a mid-range shot that bounced in. As the game progressed, the Warriors' offense stalled again, with Beal scoring five points in a row, Dunn making a layup, and Jones hitting a three-pointer. Durant made both free throws, and the Suns went on a 12-0 run to take a 10-point lead. Subsequently, Green scored with a 2+1 and hit three consecutive three-pointers to help the Warriors catch up and close the gap. In the last moments of the first half, Durant made a driving layup, and Curry hit a buzzer-beating floater, ending the half with the Warriors trailing 61-65. In this quarter, Beal scored 12 points, and Green scored 14 points in a single quarter, shooting 5 for 5.
In the third quarter, the Warriors started with a 7-0 run to retake the lead. Beal stopped the bleeding with a mid-range jumper, and Curry hit a three-pointer over Plumlee. Durant responded with a three-pointer and assisted Jones in hitting another three-pointer, forcing a timeout. After the timeout, Kuminga made a cutting layup and assisted Schroder in a fastbreak layup. Okogie scored aggressively, and Wiggins responded with two points. Kuminga easily made a layup after knocking down Beal, but then the Warriors' offense stalled again. Durant broke the deadlock with his signature mid-range jumper, Dunn made a Eurostep layup, and Durant scored again with a mid-range jumper. Kuminga hit a three-pointer to break the Warriors' scoring drought, and Durant made a strong 2+1. Dunn made a cutting layup, and the Suns regained the initiative with an 11-3 run, leading the Warriors 87-82 at the end of the third quarter.
In the final quarter, the Suns and Warriors continued their offensive battle, with Beal leading the Suns to maintain their lead. Kuminga made two free throws, and Durant assisted Okogie in hitting a three-pointer. However, the Suns' offense stalled, and Kuminga made a strong drive to the basket and a steal for a dunk, forcing a timeout from the Suns. The game resumed, with Curry making a driving floater and Schroder breaking through for a layup. Kuminga made two free throws, and the Warriors went on a 10-0 run to take a one-point lead with 2:15 left. Durant made one of two free throws to stop the bleeding, and Plumlee made both free throws. Schroder hit a key three-pointer, and Durant made a fatal turnover. Curry missed a three-pointer, and with 29.9 seconds left, Durant grabbed the rebound and was fouled, making both free throws. Kuminga made two crucial free throws, and Durant missed a crucial mid-range jumper. Schroder grabbed the rebound, and Beal was called for a foul while trying to steal the ball. With 12.1 seconds left, Schroder made both free throws, and Beal missed a layup. Kuminga made one of two free throws, and ultimately, the Warriors won at home.
Starting Lineups
Warriors: Curry, Green, TJD, Wiggins, and Schroder
Suns: Durant, Beal, Dunn, Jones, and Plumlee