The Phoenix Suns saw their win supply run dry last night for the first time since October, losing to the Golden State Warriors 96-118. Stephen Curry and his boys successfully enacted their revenge, taking back a win, and the Western Conference’s throne by a half game.
Even with the season being just over a month old, a decently sized gap already exists separating the Suns and Warriors from the West’s other teams. With almost everyone you talk to, they consider Golden State and Phoenix as the conference’s top two squads, setting the foundation for a fun rivalry that likely extends into the postseason.
But even with these team’s at odds with each other, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr still took the high road even after his team emerged victorious on Friday night, explaining how Golden State is hunting the Suns rather than the other way around.
While speaking after the game, Kerr first admitted how the Warriors “caught a break” by getting Phoenix on the latter portion of a back-to-back sequence. He then applauded their 18-game win streak, and said that Golden State is still “trying to catch .”
Kerr: "We caught a break with the Suns in a back-to-back... but winning 18 games in a row is incredible. We have respect for them and what they've accomplished... We're trying to catch them, not vice-versa. We haven't been in the playoffs for two years."
— Joe Viray (@JoeVirayNBA) December 4, 2021
Kerr and the Suns go back much further than this game though. For those unfamiliar with his days not spent beside Curry or Michael Jordan, Kerr actually played his rookie season in the desert, running with the Suns for that year alone. He later worked as the team’s general manager between his two broadcasting stints with TNT.
But with him now fully allied with the Warriors, his words certainly carry significant weight. His mentioning of the Suns as the further ahead team illustrates his integrity, as well as Phoenix’s true might as a team right now.
Phoenix next plays Kerr and his Warriors on Christmas Day, setting the stage for another box office level matchup that just might include Devin Booker depending on his recovery. It remains to be seen who might own the better record by that point, but at least for now, Kerr nods in the direction of the Suns.