Pat Spencer scored a career-high 20 points, Gui Santos added 18, and the shorthanded Golden State Warriors erased a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Phoenix Suns 101-97 on Thursday night.
Phoenix had an opportunity to take the lead in the closing seconds, but Dillon Brooks missed a 3-pointer. Golden State’s Gary Payton II secured the rebound before Moses Moody found De’Anthony Melton for a layup at the buzzer to seal the win, News.Az reports, citing AP.
The Suns carried an 82-76 advantage into the fourth quarter after limiting Golden State to just 17 points in the third. Phoenix extended the lead to 90-76 less than two minutes into the final period when Collin Gillespie knocked down back-to-back 3-pointers on consecutive possessions.
Golden State responded by steadily cutting into the margin. Melton’s layup tied the game at 97 with 55.8 seconds remaining, and Santos followed with a fast-break layup with 28.7 seconds left to give the Warriors a 99-97 lead.
Brooks led Phoenix with 24 points, while Grayson Allen scored 21. The Suns struggled offensively in the fourth quarter, making only six field goals and scoring just 15 points.
Allen assisted Oso Ighodaro on a dunk that put Phoenix ahead 97-91 with 3:55 remaining, but the Suns failed to score again. Shortly afterward, Allen landed awkwardly, exited the game with just over three minutes left, and did not return. The Suns later said he suffered a right knee injury.
Phoenix was without guards Devin Booker (ankle) and Jalen Green (hamstring/hip). Golden State also played without Stephen Curry (knee) and newly acquired forward Kristaps Porzingis, who has yet to join the team after being traded from the Hawks.
The Warriors led 59-55 at halftime after attempting 37 three-pointers and converting 15 of them. Spencer paced Golden State with 15 first-half points on five made 3s, while Brooks also had 15 before the break for Phoenix.
Porzingis is expected to join the Warriors on Friday in Los Angeles, though coach Steve Kerr expressed doubt that he would be ready to play against the Lakers.
Earlier Thursday, Golden State announced it had traded reserve forward/center Trayce Jackson-Davis to the Raptors in exchange for a second-round draft pick.
Up next:
Warriors: at Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday.
Suns: host the 76ers on Saturday.