Warriors instant analysis: Without Butler in second half, Golden State holds off Suns’ rally

SAN FRANCISCO The Warriors got back in the win column but will perhaps rue a squandered opportunity to rest their veterans in the fourth quarter of a surprisingly competitive matchup with Phoenix at Chase Center on Tuesday A -point lead at halftime seemed to have the Warriors well on their way to an easy success and light second-half minutes for Steph Curry and Draymond Green The Warriors coming off back-to-back losses in Milwaukee and Indianapolis setbacks that had brought the momentum of a - start to a grinding halt They had played six games in days overall logging heavy minutes Jimmy Butler who entered the night questionable with a lower back injury did not play in the second half He finished the meeting with minutes and two points while being plus- in a - Warriors success Golden State led - at halftime and by over points in the third quarter but with a little over two minutes remaining in the third the Suns had cut the deficit to as little as nine as the Warriors played without Curry The Suns went on a - run while Golden State s offense was bogged down by stagnant sets and turnovers Once Curry returned to start the fourth quarter and Suns star Devin Booker began the frame on the bench the Warriors padded the lead to - within the first four minutes But the Suns once again went on a run cutting the deficit to just - with left Once Curry checked back in the Warriors salted away a less-than-smooth triumph Curry led the Warriors with points Moses Moody put in points off the bench and Quinten Post scored Curry played minutes and Green checked out at The Warriors had assists and turnovers The Warriors will make the short trip up I- to play at Sacramento on Wednesday and then fly to Denver for a championship on Friday Guarding Booker With Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green both out with injuries the Suns entire offensive burden fell upon fDevin Booker who entered the night averaging exactly points per match The Warriors put Jonathan Kuminga on him to start but also had Curry Pat Spencer and others take a try at slowing down the mid-range savant They also threw a flurry of double-teams at Booker too But even though he was surrounded by non-threats and faced relentless defensive pressure he still detected a way to pour in points More tellingly Booker was only minus- in minutes an illustration of how the Suns fell apart when he sat Buddy Hield bounce back Long known as a mercurial gunner Buddy Hield had spent the past week or so on an extended cold streak The -year-old had not scored in double figures since the second contest of the season But a shooter as talented as Hield would not stay cool forever and he definitively broke out against the Suns by scoring points of them in the first half No Horford no challenge Related Articles As rest of NBA plays at breakneck speed Warriors look to pace stars Alex Toohey aims to channel inner Draymond Green for Santa Cruz Warriors Warriors week in review Strong start then a Midwestern malaise Warriors instant analysis Golden State squanders fourth quarter lead against injury-riddled Pacers Warriors center Trayce Jackson-Davis in best shape of his life returns to home state Al Horford will not play in any back-to-backs this season but whether he plays the first or second leg is a case-by-case decision This week Kerr decided to sit the -year-old against Phoenix and allow him to play Wednesday in Sacramento Post started at center and made an immediate impact with his shooting making all three of his -pointers in the first quarter off pick-and-pop actions Spelling him later was Trayce Jackson-Davis a rim-runner whose chances have been sparse this season The Indiana native made the the majority of his minutes making of three shots during a - run to end the quarter and throwing down two dunks overall The Post and Davis duo concluded the night with points and nine rebounds