Suns tangle with sizzling Warriors in final game before break
Every victory brings the Golden State Warriors closer to the 20-year-old record for most in a season, and talk of their pursuit only will heat up coming out of the All-Star break.
The Warriors (47-4) will go for their 11th win in a row on Wednesday night when they take on the struggling Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena in their final game before the break. They are coming off a 123-110 win over Houston on Tuesday, and their current pace is one game better than the record-setting Chicago Bulls of 1995-96, who finished with a 72-10 record.
The Suns have lost their last five games to the Warriors, including a pair of blowouts this season, but interim coach Earl Watson believes they're showing some signs of improvement.
The Suns (14-39) have dropped all four games since Watson took over for the fired Jeff Hornacek and have lost eight in a row overall following Monday's 122-106 loss to Oklahoma City. But they led the Thunder by as many as six in the third quarter before faltering, and Monday's loss was the first double-digit defeat under Watson's watch.
The game can be seen on FOX Sports Arizona and FOX Sports GO, starting at 6:30 p.m.
Markieff Morris finished with 23 points in Monday's loss and is averaging 21 under Watson after scoring 10.2 in his first 32. Archie Goodwin added 20 for Phoenix, which has dropped 23 of 25 but also is dealing with injuries to Brandon Knight, Eric Bledsoe, T.J. Warren and Ronnie Price.
Knight and Price are expected to return after the break, but Bledsoe and Warren are out for the season.
"We have to love the process, embrace the process and be a part of the journey," Watson said after the Suns shot 50.7 percent for their highest mark in their last 17 games.
Splash Bros. + @DevinBook = raining 3s tonight. #SunsVsWarriors starts at 6:30 on @FOXSPORTSAZ pic.twitter.com/v7R3k4cm38
— Phoenix Suns TV (@SunsTV) February 10, 2016
"I think you see our team, we're growing, we're getting better. We're not discouraged. We won't be discouraged."
Slowing the Warriors will be a tough task. Phoenix is allowing the second-most points per game in the league at 106.7. Golden State is averaging 122.3 during its winning streak -- nearly seven more than its season average -- and has shot 54.4 percent from the field and 52.9 percent from 3-point range in the two meetings this season.
Golden State coach Steve Kerr was ill following Tuesday's victory over Houston, but he was expected to fly to with the team to Phoenix.
Stephen Curry had 35 points and nine assists against the Rockets, and Andrew Bogut had one of his best games with 13 points, 11 boards and a season-high six blocks.
The defending NBA champions have won eight times by double digits during their 10-game winning streak, which is the longest active run in the league.
"We can definitely play better and just sustain our level of play and be more consistent over 48 minutes. It's hard," Curry said. "As long as you keep that at the forefront and challenge yourselves, that's what hopefully inspires to continue to get better.
"It's not going to be pretty every minute we're out there, it's not going to be perfect, we're not going to blow everybody out. But we strive to be great every night."
Curry had 41 points in a 135-116 win at Phoenix on Nov. 27, while Klay Thompson poured in 43 in a 128-103 home win over the Suns on Dec. 16. Curry is averaging 32.5 points and shooting 56.3 percent -- 53.3 from behind the arc -- his last four against the Suns.
Mirza Teletovic had a season-high 24 points for Phoenix in the last matchup with the Warriors.
