Game Recap: Devin Booker sends a message in Suns’ 130-105 blowout win

The Phoenix Suns flip the switch and cruise past the Warriors in a convincing win.

The Phoenix Suns kicked off their four-game road trip ahead of the trade deadline in dominant fashion, steamrolling the Golden State Warriors 130-105 in San Francisco.

Devin Booker, fresh off his All-Star snub and playing in the very building where the game will take place, showed exactly why he belonged. He dropped an inspired 31 points on 12-of-23 shooting, buried 5-of-11 from deep, and dished out 11 assists, adding 5 rebounds for good measure. Message sent.

Phoenix, locked in from start to finish, put together one of their most complete performances of the season. The ball movement was sharp, rebounding wasn’t an issue — thanks to Nick Richards’ monster 16-board effort — and the shooting was lights out, with the Suns torching the nets at 48.7% from three.

Meanwhile, Steph Curry? Held to 14 points on 14 shots. The Suns move to 25-22, and if this version of them sticks around, things could get interesting.

Game Flow

First Half

The Warriors got off to a smooth start, knocking down 5 of their first 10 shots, with Buddy Hield leading the charge at 2-for-3. But when shots didn’t fall, Nick Richards was there to clean up the mess, feasting on the boards against Golden State’s undersized frontline, grabbing seven rebounds in the first quarter alone.

Meanwhile, Durant and Booker wasted no time getting to work, combining for 16 of the Suns’ first 22 points as they set the tone early.

Bradley Beal checked in, but it was a rough stretch. In six minutes, he didn’t attempt a shot, committed two turnovers, and botched the final possessions of the quarter, leaving the Suns without a last attempt.

Phoenix outscored Golden State 30-27 in the first behind 9 points by Kevin Durant and 5-of-9 shooting from deep.

Bradley Beal came out in the second quarter like a man on a mission, shaking off his rough start and torching the net for seven of the Suns’ first 11 points. Total redemption arc. One minute, he’s stumbling through a brutal first stint; the next, he’s cooking. Basketball, man. It’s a wild ride.

Midway through the second, Phoenix dropped a 10-0 run on the Warriors, capping it off with an All-Star-caliber dime from Devin Booker to Grayson Allen in the corner.

Lazy defense and turnovers — the Suns’ old nemesis — came creeping back, letting the Warriors trim the lead to seven. But Mike Budenholzer, sensing Golden State’s depleted front line, made the call to go small. Enter Kevin Durant at the five, and just like that, Phoenix flipped the script. Sure, the defense took a hit on a few possessions, but offensively, they were cooking.

Devin Booker led the charge with 10 in the quarter, bringing his first-half total to 17, but it was Grayson Allen’s 11 off the bench that gave the Suns an extra punch. Phoenix had outscored Golden State 32-24 in the second, heading into the break up 62-51.

Second Half

The Suns came out of the locker room with unexpected energy, immediately sparking an 11-4 run to stretch their lead to 73-55. The spark? Defense. Interior dominance. Nick Richards swatting shots, Ryan Dunn disrupting everything in sight. Stops turned into buckets, and for a team that’s struggled with consistency, seeing that kind of fire was a welcome sight.

The Suns kept their foot on the gas, finally looking like the dominant team we’ve been waiting for. They dropped 36 points in the third while holding Golden State to just 28. The Warriors mustered only 14 points in the first 10 minutes of the quarter, but a late surge saw them match that total in the final two.

Enter Kevin Durant.

Quiet for most of the night with just 10 points through 34 minutes, he flipped the switch, drilling three massive threes to silence Golden State’s push. Nine quick points from KD later, the Suns had a commanding 98-79 lead heading into the fourth.

The ball movement kept flowing in the fourth, with Devin Booker locked in as the orchestrator. The Suns’ leader in hockey assists might not have stuffed the box score with dimes, but his fingerprints were all over the offense, setting up teammates with sharp passing and quick decision-making. Even when he didn’t get the official credit, he was the catalyst behind the Suns’ rhythm.

There was no late-game drama, no frantic Warriors rally. Just a comfortable coast to the finish line. With five minutes left, Mike Budenholzer emptied the bench, and the Suns cruised to their 25th win of the season, wrapping up one of their most complete performances with ease.

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Up Next

The Suns are right back at it tomorrow night, facing the suddenly scorching Trail Blazers, who’ve won six of their last seven. Another 8:00 PM Arizona tip-off. See you then, Bright Side!