PHOENIX — Stephen Curry did everything in his power Wednesday night to help the Warriors secure their first road win of the season. He dropped a season-high 50 points, going 7-of-11 from deep, in 36 minutes. But it wasn’t enough as Golden State fell 130-119 to the Suns.
The Warriors are now 0-8 away from Chase Center, their worst road start since the 1989-90 season.
Curry was red-hot out of the gates, scoring 17 points in the opening 12 minutes. He finished the half with 31 on 10-of-13 shooting (4-of-5 from 3.) Meanwhile, the rest of the team combined for 34 points on 13-of-30 shooting (4-of-13 from deep.)
By the third, Curry looked exhausted. He bent over with his hands on his knees after being assessed a technical foul in the third.
Curry, who finished with nine rebounds and six assists to go with his 50-point night, might be putting up numbers that rival his MVP seasons. He’s scored 40 or more points in three of the Warriors’ last five games, tying Luka Dončić and Joel Embiid for the most 40-plus point outings in the NBA this season.
But at 34, the burden of carrying this team as he has isn’t sustainable. He needs help. And the Warriors, at least on paper, have the ingredients to be a championship-contending team. But nothing has gone well for the reigning champs.
In fact, the Warriors don’t look anything like the team that went all the way to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy at TD Garden in June.
Golden State, whose lock-down defense had been a staple in its championship success, is allowing the third-most points per game in the league. The Warriors surrendered 72 points in the first half to the Suns Wednesday night and have given up at least one 30-point quarter in 13 of their 15 games.
Klay Thompson, who’s desperate to prove the naysayers wrong, has been trying to push out of an early-season slump by forcing his game, and it hasn’t been pretty. He passed up passing the ball to take ill-advised shots at times Wednesday night, which resulted in another shoddy shooting night. He shot six of the Warriors’ first 12 shots and made only two.
Thompson was sent to the bench late in the third. He didn’t re-enter the game until the 5:41 mark in the fourth. The 32-year-old guard finished with 19 points on 6-of-17 shooting (3-of-9 from 3-point land).
Jordan Poole also struggled against the Suns. He missed all five of his shot attempts. His only two points came from the charity stripe. He also dished out eight assists.
And the Warriors’ youngsters haven’t been ready to take on the larger roles Golden State’s brass had hoped they would when the team let Gary Payton II, Otto Porter Jr., Juan Toscano-Anderson and Damion Lee walk in free agency.
Jonathan Kuminga was a late scratch for Wednesday’s game after falling ill with a non-COVID sickness before tip, and James Wiseman is down in the G League for an extended stint. Moses Moody rode the bench for the first three quarters before entering the game at the start of the fourth.
Meanwhile, two-way forward Anthony Lamb has been a surprise consistent presence in the rotation. The Warriors coaching staff has braised him for being a sponge and being aggressive on both ends of the floor. He led the bench unit with seven points.
The Warriors (6-9) return home to host the New York Knicks Friday night.
_____
