Steph Curry Struggles, Jalen Green Shines as NBA Fans React to Warriors' Play-In Loss to Suns
Phoenix Suns guard Jalen Green ended Stephen Curry's playoff hopes with one of the best shooting performances in NBA play-in history Friday night against the Golden State Warriors.
Green posted a game-high 36 points, including a play-in record-tying eight triples, to help the Suns claim a 111-96 win over Curry and the Warriors.
The Suns now advance to play the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round, while the Warriors will fall short of the playoffs in the final year of head coach Steve Kerr's contract.
This marks the second straight season in which Green has matched up against the Warriors in the playoffs, although he struggled when the Houston Rockets were eliminated by Curry and the Warriors last May.
Green earned redemption from last spring's performance Saturday after shooting 14-for-20 from the field and 8-for-14 from deep.
Green took over the game early to help the Suns close out the first quarter on a 9-0 run on their way to claiming an 18-point first-half lead.
The Warriors pushed back in the second quarter with a 9-0 run of their own to cut the deficit to two points with seconds remaining in the half.
Green sunk a late triple to pull the Suns back out to a five-point advantage heading into the break.
After being held to just seven points in the first half, Curry went scoreless in the third quarter as Green helped the Suns extend their advantage.
Draymond Green, who had already fouled out, had a heated confrontation with Devin Booker that led to matching ejections in the final minutes of the Suns closing out the win.
The Warriors, who already lost Jimmy Butler for the season due to injury, had multiple key players visibly limited in the loss.
Kristaps Porziņģis appeared hampered by an ankle injury that landed him on the injury report ahead of the game. Curry, who missed two months late in the season with a knee injury, also looked visibly uncomfortable at points of Saturday's loss.
Curry finished the game with 17 points on 4-for-16 shooting from the field and 3-for-10 from deep.
Green posted five points, while Brandin Podziemski led the Warriors with 23 points and 10 rebounds in the loss.
Booker posted 20 points and eight assists for the Suns, while Dillon Brooks, Oso Ighodaro and Jordan Goodwin all chipped in double-digit scoring totals in the victory.
The Suns will now advance to face Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder in the first round.
Game 1 between the Suns and Thunder is set to tip off Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET in Oklahoma City.
