SAN FRANCISCO – Playing the second night of a row and their third game in four nights, the Warriors looked exhausted against the Phoenix Suns on Monday night at Chase Center. By jumping on Steph Curry’s back, the Warriors were able to accomplish what they couldn’t accomplish all of last season. They did not have a single five-game winning streak in the 2025-26 season. They do it now in the 2026-27 campaign, winning five in a row after an 0-3 start to the season, erasing a 17-point deficit to beat the Suns 116-113. Curry and Draymond Green returned from resting the night before. Green was ineffective and ejected in the third quarter. Curry started slow and then exploded to score a game-high 34 points. In his last three games, Curry has scored 44, 31 and 34 points. He is now averaging exactly 30 points this season at age 38 in Year 18. Brandin Podziemski added 20 points, Charles Bassey was a surprise by scoring a career-high 19 points off the bench and Yaxel Lendeborg followed up his 37-point performance with 16 points, five rebounds and five assists. Here are three takeaways from the Warriors’ fifth straight win. Make or lose the league Sometimes games can be as simple as shots that fall and don’t fall. The Warriors were 3-point happy to start the game, taking seven of their first eight shots from beyond the arc and making just two. They shot 33.3 percent overall in the first quarter (8 of 24) and were a modest 2 of 15 from 3-point range (13.3 percent). The Suns also made two 3-pointers in the first quarter, but the Warriors attempted 10 more than them and trailed by 12 points through the first 12 minutes. When it looked like the game could get out of control with a 16-point deficit, the Warriors responded with a 12-0 run late in the second quarter. They were 5 of 11 from three in the second quarter while taking care of the ball and made it a six-point game at halftime. When Curry gets going, everyone else usually follows. That’s how he, unsurprisingly, took on the Suns. The Warriors scored 19 points in the first quarter, 32 in the second and then 42 in the third to tie the game entering the fourth quarter. As it happens, Curry found his burst in the third quarter, and the Warriors were 5 of 10 on 3-pointers in the frame. The Warriors created good shots and minimized their turnovers to achieve a winning recipe. They made four fewer shots than the Suns, but made two more 3-pointers than them, made nine more free throws than them, and turned the ball over twice less to win each of the final three quarters. Steph finds her surge There were several reasons why the Warriors chose to sit Curry and Green on the first night of a back-to-back instead of the second. The Warriors had just returned from a three-game road trip and needed Curry’s 31 points in 31 minutes to beat the Los Angeles Lakers. He also appeared rested Monday night, scoring the Warriors’ first three points of the game. But Curry didn’t make another shot for the rest of the quarter, and he only connected one more time (but not a three) in the first half. Curry entered halftime with nine points on 2-of-7 shooting, doing most of his damage at the free throw line. Right on cue, Curry hit a three-pointer 15 seconds into the third quarter. In the first half, it seemed like Curry couldn’t find his burst. Then the third quarter began and Curry scored 18 points in more than eight minutes. Suddenly, he was up to 27 points and the Warriors found their mojo and momentum. Golden State’s lead was lost with Curry on the bench in the fourth quarter. Curry returned at the 4:48 mark and the Warriors outscored the Suns 12-9 the rest of the way. More Bassey Ball On the Warriors’ next possession after Green’s ejection, Bassey came in and continued the type of impact he had been making all game. Bassey played through contact for a layup and, although he missed his free throw, he helped Curry hit a three-pointer the next time up the court. Bassey tied Curry for the Warriors’ leading scorer in the first half and was one of two players to have multiple offensive rebounds. How many other players besides Lendeborg do the Warriors have that possess size and can make plays like these? Using Lendeborg as a ball handler, he and Bassey have created quick chemistry for easy baskets and exciting lobs. The last game these two teams played, Bassey shined off the bench with 10 points and seven rebounds. He also grabbed 10 rebounds Sunday night in an outstanding start. As a team lacking size and athleticism, Bassey continues to show why he could be earning more opportunities. Download and follow the Dubs Talk podcast
