On Saturday evening, the Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns met in an entertaining, down-to-the-wire contest that may have been a preview of what could transpire during the NBA postseason.
In a back-and-forth affair, the Warriors prevailed 113-112 when Stephen Curry hit a 3-pointer with 0.7 seconds remaining. He finished with 30 points, nine rebounds, and six assists, and his game-winner was his ninth 3-pointer.
But what also made headlines was a comment Suns center Jusuf Nurkic made after the game. Nurkic said that Golden State’s Draymond Green, who has been suspended twice this season, “didn’t learn anything” from being suspended and doesn’t “deserve a chance.”
Green was suspended indefinitely after smacking Nurkic about two months ago. During Saturday’s game, the two exchanged some trash talk, including “too small” gestures.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Jusuf Nurkic, Phoenix Suns, Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors Updates
Afterward, Curry responded to Nurkic’s remarks.
“[Draymond Green] gave us great energy that you need to meet the moment… I know everybody is going to talk about what Jusuf Nurkic said and how idiotic that was. … You could tell somebody is in your head when you go out of your way to celebrate and do the little ‘too-small’ thing… All the talk, Draymond was in his head. Plain and simple.”
Green had a fairly good game, shooting 7-of-9 to score 15 points while also helping out with nine assists and seven rebounds. While many have accused him of being over the hill during the last few seasons, his overall averages are in line with his career averages, and he’s shooting 51.1 percent from the field, which is significantly higher than what he shot in each of his first nine NBA seasons.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Jusuf Nurkic, Phoenix Suns, Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors Updates
While he’s a definite loose cannon who can always hurt the Warriors by committing a dirty act, he’s still the team’s engine, not to mention its emotional and spiritual leader.
After a rough season start, the Warriors may be starting to figure things out. They have won five games in a row and seven of their last eight, and they now sit in 10th place in the West with a 26-25 record. In those eight games, they have been second in the NBA in scoring at 122.9 points per game.
If they make the playoffs again, they could be a team no one would want to face there.
