Golden State head coach Steve Kerr emphasized ball security following Thursday’s 99-98 loss to the Phoenix Suns. “We turned it over quite a bit… 20 turnovers for 30 points. We’ve got to be sharper with the ball. We’ve got to be better with our body language and our energy,” Kerr said.
Kerr acknowledged the team’s effort despite the defeat. “I thought we played really hard… offensive rebounds, we got 15 of those. But a tough night shooting and you can still win those games, right? Jimmy carried us. He hit the huge three down the stretch,” he added.
Jimmy Butler led Golden State with 31 points, supported by Brandin Podziemski’s 18 points and Stephen Curry’s 15 despite shooting just 3 of 13 from the field. Kerr praised Butler’s impact. “This is vintage Jimmy… eight for nine from the line, 11 for 17, attacking, moving the ball at the right time. He was brilliant out there,” Kerr said.
Kerr reflected on Phoenix’s late-game execution. “It’s hard to believe the game was decided on that call… on an air ball that hits the side of the backboard… to me, it better be a foul to decide the game. So disappointing that we didn’t get to go to overtime,” he said.
He also noted the contributions of Brandin Podziemski and Jonathan Kuminga. “Brandin was great. Really aggressive offensively, decisive… got the ball into the paint,” Kerr said. About Kuminga, he added, “He had a good pass to Gui in the first half… it’s good to see him back out there. He handled himself really well this last week.”
Kerr addressed Draymond Green’s performance as well, noting his competitive intensity. “He’s trying too hard right now… just needs to slow down a little,” Kerr said, emphasizing the importance of patience and execution.
Phoenix rallied after trailing by 14 points early, with Devin Booker scoring 23 of his 25 points in the second half. Dillon Brooks added 24 points, while Jordan Goodwin hit the game-winning free throw with 0.4 seconds left. The Suns outscored the Warriors 24-18 in the third quarter to regain momentum and secure the victory.
Golden State shot 35-89 overall and 12-42 from three-point range, while Phoenix converted 36-88 and 10-35 from beyond the arc. The Warriors committed 20 turnovers, a key factor in the narrow defeat.
The loss drops Golden State to 13-15, while Phoenix improves to 15-12. Both teams will complete the home-and-home series on Saturday in San Francisco, aiming to rebound in the Western Conference standings.
