Curry Breaks Out of Slump, Helps Warriors Beat Suns
PHOENIX (AP) -- Stephen Curry shook off a poor shooting performance by scoring 10 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter and the Golden State Warriors finally broke open a tight game to beat the Phoenix Suns 117-107 on Friday night.
Klay Thompson scored 25 points for the Warriors, who beat the Suns for the 18th consecutive time. Kevin Durant added 21 points and DeMarcus Cousins 18.
Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 25 points and Deandre Ayton 23 for Phoenix, which was without scoring leader Devin Booker due to a tight right hamstring.
Mikal Bridges and Josh Jackson added 19 apiece for the Suns, who led 85-82 entering the final quarter.
Golden State's Draymond Green was ejected after drawing his second technical between the third and fourth quarters.
The matchup of the teams at the top and bottom of the Western Conference standings was a lot closer than anticipated — and in large part because it took Curry a while to find his stroke.
Through three quarters, Curry was 2-of-12 shooting, including 1 of 8 on 3-pointers. But in the fourth quarter, he was 4 of 5, including 2 of 3 from beyond the arc.
Down 94-88, Golden State took control with a 13-0 run — capped by Curry's 3-pointer that put the Warriors up 101-94 with 5:46 remaining. Richaun Holmes' tip-in cut the lead to 101-98 with 4:58 left. But Curry responded with another 3 and Golden State pulled away from there.
Phoenix shot out to a 26-9 lead but the Warriors cut it to 31-26 after one quarter.
Green's driving layup capped a 13-3 Golden State run that put the Warriors up 60-51 before Oubre's tip-in sliced the Warriors' lead to 60-53 at the break.
Phoenix opened the second half with an 11-4 spurt to tie it at 64-64 and it stayed tight the rest of the third quarter. Oubre made one free throw with 4.9 seconds left, missed the second and grabbed the rebound for a dunk that put the Suns up 85-82 entering the final quarter.
TIP-INS
Warriors: Their 18-game win streak against Phoenix is the second-longest active streak against a single opponent behind only Oklahoma City's 21-game run against Philadelphia. ... Golden State drew three first-half technical: on Green, Cousins and Shaun Livingston.
Suns: Booker missed his 15th game of the season. ... Phoenix also was without T.J. Warren (right ankle soreness) and De'Anthony Melton (right ankle sprain). ... Ayton's 818 points through 50 games are third-most in team history, behind Walter Davis (1,169) and Alvan Adams (935).
UP NEXT
Warriors: host Miami on Sunday night.
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