Kerr and Warriors use Suns as experiment: Suns lose by 40+ again
Kerr and Warriors use Suns as experiment: Suns lose by 40+ again
In their first matchup of the series this season, the Phoenix Suns fell to the Golden State Warriors 129-83.
In their first matchup of the series this season, the Phoenix Suns fell to the Golden State Warriors 129-83.
OAKLAND, Calif. — In their first matchup of the series this season, the Phoenix Suns fell to the Golden State Warriors 129-83. Phoenix now stands at 18-40 on the season, the worst record in the league by percentage points.
For the twelfth consecutive game, the Suns fail to win a game against the Warriors, a streak that dates back to Nov. 9, 2014.
The game had been somewhat of an experiment to Golden State and Steve Kerr, as he handed play-calling duties to the players themselves.
Kerr spent time outside of the huddle as Andre Iguodala, Draymond Green, and David West were tabbed with clipboard duties. Green, who called the plays for a majority of the night, did not suit up for the Warriors tonight due to a sprained finger.
In his defense, Kerr said that he used the game and the huddle as a way to pique his players’ interests after the team had hit a lull the last few weeks.
Several Suns players have since responded to this, including outspoken veteran Jared Dudley.
Following the game, Kerr and Suns interim head coach Jay Triano met on the court and talked about the play calling.
Kerr told Triano that he wanted his team to hear from a new voice and that he was sick of his own.
Devin Booker even shared his thoughts on the situation.
Phoenix opened the second game of the Elfrid Payton experiment without Devin Booker once again, who is battling a left hip pointer injury. He’s now missed the last four games for Phoenix and is in danger of being held out until after the All-Star Break with one game remaining for the team.
Following 19 points, nine assists, and six rebounds in his debut for the Suns, Elfrid Payton was once again a breath of fresh air for the franchise.
Payton finished the game with 29 points, eight rebounds, and five assists. He also turned the ball over five times.
The Suns opened the game on a strong note, with Elfrid Payton uncharacteristically perfect from the field. At the end of the first quarter, Payton was 7-for-7 from the field, including two threes; good for 16 points.
The rest of the team went 3-for-18 up until that point.
With Tyler Ulis out with back spasms, G League call-up Josh Gray was designated with backup point guard duties, failing to spark the offense the way Payton did.
The Suns struggled to move the ball and played with little to no pace at all without Payton on the floor. At times, the ball would stick on one side of the floor with no player rim-running or cutting.
As a result, the Suns suffered their second 40+ point loss in the last five days. Phoenix now claims half of the league’s 40-point losses, owning 4-of-8.
Phoenix, the league’s first team with 40 losses, has one game remaining on the road against Utah this Wednesday before the desperately-needed All-Star break.
The Suns will return to the Bay Area on April 1.
OAKLAND, Calif. — In their first matchup of the series this season, the Phoenix Suns fell to the Golden State Warriors 129-83. Phoenix now stands at 18-40 on the season, the worst record in the league by percentage points.
For the twelfth consecutive game, the Suns fail to win a game against the Warriors, a streak that dates back to Nov. 9, 2014.
The game had been somewhat of an experiment to Golden State and Steve Kerr, as he handed play-calling duties to the players themselves.
Kerr spent time outside of the huddle as Andre Iguodala, Draymond Green, and David West were tabbed with clipboard duties. Green, who called the plays for a majority of the night, did not suit up for the Warriors tonight due to a sprained finger.
In his defense, Kerr said that he used the game and the huddle as a way to pique his players’ interests after the team had hit a lull the last few weeks.
Several Suns players have since responded to this, including outspoken veteran Jared Dudley.
Following the game, Kerr and Suns interim head coach Jay Triano met on the court and talked about the play calling.
Kerr told Triano that he wanted his team to hear from a new voice and that he was sick of his own.
Devin Booker even shared his thoughts on the situation.
Phoenix opened the second game of the Elfrid Payton experiment without Devin Booker once again, who is battling a left hip pointer injury. He’s now missed the last four games for Phoenix and is in danger of being held out until after the All-Star Break with one game remaining for the team.
Following 19 points, nine assists, and six rebounds in his debut for the Suns, Elfrid Payton was once again a breath of fresh air for the franchise.
Payton finished the game with 29 points, eight rebounds, and five assists. He also turned the ball over five times.
The Suns opened the game on a strong note, with Elfrid Payton uncharacteristically perfect from the field. At the end of the first quarter, Payton was 7-for-7 from the field, including two threes; good for 16 points.
The rest of the team went 3-for-18 up until that point.
With Tyler Ulis out with back spasms, G League call-up Josh Gray was designated with backup point guard duties, failing to spark the offense the way Payton did.
The Suns struggled to move the ball and played with little to no pace at all without Payton on the floor. At times, the ball would stick on one side of the floor with no player rim-running or cutting.
As a result, the Suns suffered their second 40+ point loss in the last five days. Phoenix now claims half of the league’s 40-point losses, owning 4-of-8.
Phoenix, the league’s first team with 40 losses, has one game remaining on the road against Utah this Wednesday before the desperately-needed All-Star break.
The Suns will return to the Bay Area on April 1.