PHOENIX _ The Warriors finished with a 117-107 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Friday, marking their 14th win out of the past 15 games, 12th consecutive road win and 18th straight against Phoenix. Unlike the Warriors' previous stretch, however, this did not represent their best effort.
The Warriors played sloppy (18 turnovers). They lacked consistent focus (60 points in the paint allowed). Although Klay Thompson (25 points), Kevin Durant (21), Stephen Curry (20), DeMarcus Cousins (18) and Draymond Green (13) all scored in double figures for the first time all season, Curry only went 6 of 17 from the field and 3 of 11 from 3.
The Warriors (39-15) exhausted their margin for error against a Suns team that has the Western Conference's worst record (11-46) and played without star Devin Booker because of right hamstring tightness.
Meanwhile, the Warriors became upset with the officiating. Green was ejected at the end of the third quarter after expressing his displeasure with an official for not punishing Suns forward Kelly Oubre Jr. for nearly head-butting him after converting on a put-back. Green, Cousins and Shaun Livingston also collected other technicals.
The Warriors eventually broke the game open in the final quarter. After trailing, 85-82, through three quarters, the Warriors opened the fourth with a 16-9 run. Cousins also logged a season-high 27 minutes.
The Warriors have three more games next week against Miami (Sunday) Utah (Tuesday) and at Portland (Wednesday) before NBA All-Star weekend in Charlotte, N.C.
