PHOENIX (AP) — Pat Spencer scored a career-high 20 points, Gui Santos scored 18 and the short-handed Golden State Warriors erased a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat the Phoenix Suns 101-97 on Thursday night.
The Suns had a chance to take the lead in the final seconds, but Dillon Brooks missed a three-pointer, Golden State’s Gary Payton II grabbed the rebound, and Moses Moody passed to De’Anthony Melton for a layup as the game ended.
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After holding Golden State up by 17 points in the third quarter, Phoenix led 82-76 entering the fourth quarter. Less than two minutes into the fourth quarter, Colin Gillespie hit three-pointers in a row and the Suns expanded their advantage to 90-76.
But the Warriors didn’t end there, methodically cutting the advantage before Melton hit a layup to tie the game at 97 with 55.8 seconds left. With 28.7 seconds left in the game, Santos made a fast break layup and Golden State led 99-97.
Brooks scored a Suns-high 24 points. Grayson Allen scored 21 points. Phoenix only made 6 field goals in the fourth quarter and scored only 15 points.
With 3:55 left in the game, Allen fed Oso Iguodaro for a dunk, giving the Suns a 97-91 lead, but they didn’t score again. Allen landed awkwardly a few minutes later, left with just over three minutes left in the game and did not return. The Suns said it was a right knee injury.
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The Suns were without guards Devin Booker (ankle) and Jalen Green (hamstring/hip). The Warriors were without Stephen Curry (knee) or new forward Kristaps Porzingis, who has yet to join the team after being traded from the Hawks.
At halftime, the Warriors made 15 of 37 three-pointers to lead 59-55. Spencer hit five 3-pointers before halftime and scored 15 points to lead the Golden State Warriors. Brooks scored 15 points for the Suns.
Porzingis is expected to join the Warriors on Friday in Los Angeles, but head coach Steve Kerr expressed doubts about his readiness to face the Lakers.
Also on Thursday, the Warriors announced they were trading backup forward/center Trayce Jackson-Davis to the Raptors for a second-round draft pick.
Next
Warriors: Play against the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday.
Suns: Host the 76ers on Saturday.
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA