Warriors-Suns Preview

By TAYLOR BECHTOLD
Posted Oct 31 2012 1:47PM

One of Steve Nash's former proteges has the chance to help the Phoenix Suns begin a new era.

Goran Dragic will attempt to help the Suns begin moving on without the two-time MVP on Wednesday night when they host the Golden State Warriors.

With Nash gone to the Los Angeles Lakers after eight years in which he turned Phoenix into one of the NBA's most high-scoring teams, the Suns are handing the point guard reins to Dragic, who signed a four-year, $30 million dollar deal in the offseason to return to the place where he began his career under Nash's tutelage.

Dragic emerged as a starter in Houston last season, but became expendable with the signing of Jeremy Lin. His return has given the Suns (33-33) reason to be optimistic as they try to move on from the loss of one of the most popular players in franchise history.

"My confidence is huge," Dragic said. "I feel awesome. I feel great. I'm in shape now. I just try to find the open guys and just be myself."

After moving into the starting lineup for the final 26 games last season, Dragic averaged 18.2 points and 8.3 assists for the Rockets. During that stretch, only four point guards averaged more points.

"I thought him leaving, going to Houston and starting has helped his confidence, helped his maturity," swingman Jared Dudley said. "He definitely is the face of the franchise now. It's his show."

The Rockets' eagerness to create cap space helped Phoenix more than once in the offseason. The Suns were awarded Luis Scola after winning an amnesty auction following Houston's decision to release a big man who's averaged 16.7 points over the past three seasons.

He'll join a frontcourt that features leading returning scorer and rebounder Marcin Gortat, but won't have Channing Frye, who's expected to miss the season because of an enlarged heart.

The Warriors (23-43) were hoping to have finally found a long-term solution in the middle when they acquired Andrew Bogut from Milwaukee in March. Bogut, who has averaged 10.4 rebounds and 2.5 blocks the last three seasons, should help the Warriors improve after finishing 28th in points allowed (101.2) and rebounds per game (39.2).

But Bogut has yet to suit up for the Warriors and hasn't played in a regular-season game since Jan. 25 due to a fractured left ankle. He's still feeling the effects of that injury, but went through a full practice for the first time this season Monday and could play depending on how the ankle reacts.

Either way, Golden State will rely on returning leading scorer and rebounder David Lee for production in the paint. Lee averaged 20.1 points and 9.6 rebounds a year ago, and scored 50 points in two games against the Suns.

Stephen Curry has also had his share of injuries, but he'll play Wednesday despite rolling his surgically repaired ankle during the preseason. Similar injuries limited Curry to 26 games last season.

He'll also suit up with a bit of long-term security. Golden State gave Curry a four-year, $44 million extension hours before Wednesday's deadline, a move that certainly carries a risk factor given the concerns over his ankle.

Curry will be joined by a pair of impressive young wing players with range. Klay Thompson will start at shooting guard after averaging 18.6 points while starting his final 28 games as a rookie, while coach Mark Jackson named 2012 No. 7 overall pick Harrison Barnes the starter at small forward on Monday.

Barnes averaged 10.4 points and shot 49.2 percent in the preseason.

"There is a lot of optimism and lots of excitement," Curry told the team's official website. "The roster is a little more experienced and we're shaping up well. Once Wednesday starts it's about taking those opportunities that we have in front of us."

The Suns, meanwhile, are hoping to revive the career of another former top 10 pick. Michael Beasley, who averaged a career-low 11.5 points with Minnesota last year, had 29 points and 10 rebounds against Denver to close the preseason.

"That's the kind of effort we have to get from him night-in and night-out," coach Alvin Gentry said. "He can be a playmaker, also. We just have to get him to that point where we get that type of effort consistently."

The Warriors took two of three from the Suns a year ago, including a 106-104 win at US Airways Center that snapped a 13-game losing streak at Phoenix.

Landry's big fourth leads Warriors past Suns 87-85

By BOB BAUM
Posted Nov 01 2012 1:52AM

PHOENIX (AP) Stephen Curry's big day turned into a long night, and the Golden State Warriors turned to Carl Landry to escape with a season-opening victory over the rebuilt Phoenix Suns.

Landry scored 12 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter and the Warriors beat the Suns 87-85 on Wednesday in Phoenix's first game of the post-Steve Nash era.

Curry, who earlier in the day agreed to a four-year, $44 million extension with the Warriors, missed his first 10 shots from the field and wound up 2 of 14 with five points.

"It was one of those games," Curry said, "but it was a crazy day."

He even missed two free throws with 4.4 seconds left to allow the Suns a chance at a game-winning shot.

"That was a sign on how my night went," Curry said. "Thankfully there was not enough time to get a shot off and we were able to walk off with a win.'

Sebastian Telfair's 3-point attempt for Phoenix came after the buzzer, and misfired anyway.

Goran Dragic had 17 points and Luis Scola added 15 points and 11 rebounds for Phoenix. Marcin Gortat had 10 points and nine rebounds and matched his career best with five blocked shots for the Suns, who have only five players back from last season's roster.

"If you would have told me coming in that David Lee and Steph Curry would go 4 for 30, I'd say we'd be in trouble," Warriors coach Mark Jackson said.

But others came through.

Klay Thompson was the only Warriors starter in double figures with 16 points. He made just 6 of 16 shots but was 4 of 7 on 3-pointers and grabbed eight rebounds. Brandon Rush added 14 points for Golden State, all in the first half.

Andrew Bogut, playing for the first time since breaking his left ankle last Jan. 25, had eight points and six rebounds in 18 1-2 minutes for Golden State.

The Warriors outscored the Suns 17-4 to start the second quarter to go up by 17 points.

Scola scored nine points in a 13-2 run that cut Golden State's halftime lead to 48-42. On consecutive Suns possessions, he made a 19-footer, 18-footer and 24-footer. The last basket was his second career 3-pointer, in 18 attempts.

Down 59-51 after Thompson's 3-pointer with 6:17 to play in the third quarter, the Suns went on a 15-6 run to take a 67-65 lead entering the fourth. Dragic started it with a 3, and Gortat's rebound basket put Phoenix ahead 63-62. Jared Dudley made one of two free throws to boost the lead to 64-62 with 2:18 left in the quarter.

The run reached 23-7 when Shannon Brown made a free throw on a defensive 3-second call to put the Suns ahead 74-66 with 8:41 to play. Landry, though, kept coming at the Suns, with short- to mid-range jumpers and baskets around the hoop.

Curry's night of futility ended when, after misfiring 10 times, he hit an 18-footer with 8:40 to play. The basket triggered a 10-2 run that tied it at 76-76 on Landry's dunk with 5:32 to play. P.J. Tucker's inside basket put Phoenix back on top, 78-76, then Thompson's fourth 3-pointer of the game gave the Warriors a 79-78 lead with 4:42 to play.

Scola's turnaround 9-foot bank shot gave the Suns their final lead, 84-83, with 1:43 to play. Landry's dunk put Golden State ahead 85-84, then his 17-footer put the Warriors ahead 87-84 with 54 seconds to go.

Dragic made one of two free throws with 5.6 seconds left to cut the lead to 87-85, and Curry, the Warriors' best free throw shooter on most nights, missed two from the line with 4.4 seconds left. Dragic brought the ball downcourt but instead of taking the shot, passed to Telfair.

"We looked like a team that had nine new players tonight," Suns coach Alvin Gentry said. "I really feel that we're going to become a good team. I really feel that we're going to have to play together and we're going to have to learn each other and know each other and as a coach, I have to learn the guys."

Motes: Gentry and C Jermaine O'Neal drew technical fouls in the first half, F Markieff Morris got one in the second. ... Bogut missed the final 52 games of last season. He was traded by Milwaukee to Golden State 1 1-2 months after he was hurt. ... The crowd of 15,678 was far below the US Airways Center capacity of 18,442.

Notebook: Warriors 87, Suns 85

Jonathan Dalton, for NBA.com
Posted Thu Nov 01, 2012 1:36 AM - Updated Thu Nov 01, 2012 1:36 AM

THE FACTS: Carl Landry scored 14 of his team-high 17 points in the fourth quarter as the Golden State Warriors outlasted the Phoenix Suns 87-85 in both teams' opener Wednesday night.

Klay Thompson had 16 points and Brandon Rush added 14 for the Warriors, who have won two straight in Phoenix after dropping 13 straight road games against the Suns.

Goran Dragic finished with 17 points to lead the Suns and Luis Scola added 15 in his Phoenix debut. But Dragic, returning to the Valley after a season in Houston, was unable to get off a shot in the closing seconds after Stephen Curry uncharacteristically missed a pair of free throws that could have iced the game with 3.3 seconds left.

The Suns overcame a 17-point, second-quarter deficit to take a 63-62 lead on a Marcin Gortat putback of a missed 3-pointer from the right corner by Michael Beasley. But Golden State battled back, taking the lead for good on a driving layup by Landry with 1:22 left to take an 85-84 lead.

Landry added a 17-foot jumper with 54 seconds remaining to make it 87-84 and Jared Dudley missed a 3-pointer from the top of the key to tie the game with 34 seconds to go.

QUOTABLE: "If we'd lost I'd be more pissed but we won so I feel a bit better." -- Warriors' Andrew Bogut on being limited to 19 minutes -- none in the fourth quarter -- in his first game back after fracturing his left ankle in January.

THE STAT: Curry, who signed a four-year, $44-million contract extension earlier Wednesday, didn't make his first field goal until 8:20 remained in the game and finished 2 of 14 from the floor and 0 for 6 from beyond the arc.

TURNING POINT: With 8.7 seconds to play, a foul to give and his team nursing a three-point lead, Golden State coach Mark Jackson wasn't about to give the Suns a chance to tie the game with a 3-pointer. David Lee committed one foul with 7.6 to go, then Rush sent Dragic to the line with a second foul with 5.6 seconds left.

QUOTABLE II: "That pretty much summed up how my night went." -- Warriors' Stephen Curry, a career 90.1-percent free-throw shooter, on his consecutive missed free throws near the end of the game.

HOT: After missing his first two shots in a Suns uniform, Scola hit seven of his final 11 to key Phoenix's rally. He also finished with 11 rebounds for his third career opening night double-double.

NOT: Warriors forward David Lee struggled nearly as much as Curry, scoring six points on 2-for-16 shooting. Lee was held without point from the 9:23 mark of the second quarter.

"T"RICK OR "T"REAT: Suns coach Alvin Gentry earned his first technical of the season 10:20 into the game. Phoenix forward Jermaine O'Neal followed with a technical 90 seconds into the second quarter.

INSIDE THE ARENA: The announced crowd was 15,678 -- 2,800 fewer than capacity -- and likely was lower as there were rows of empty seats in the lower bowl.

ROOKIE WATCH: Warriors forward Harrison Barnes, Golden State's top pick out of North Carolina, got the start but played only 14 minutes, primarily in the first and third quarters, scoring six points on 2-for-5 shooting.

NOTABLE: Scola connected on his second career 3-pointer in the second quarter, raising his shooting percentage beyond the arc to 11.1 -- 2 for 18. ... Phoenix had been 8-0 in home openers against the Warriors and 7-1 in overall season openers against Golden State. ... Golden State was opening on the road for the first time in 11 years. ... The Suns are 31-14 in home openers in franchise history. ...

UP NEXT: For the Warriors, Friday vs. Memphis, Saturday @ L.A. Clippers, Monday @ Sacramento. For the Suns, Friday vs. Detroit, Sunday @ Orlando, Monday @ Miami.

• Warriors: Bazemore, Tyler
• Suns: Frye, Garrett

• Warriors: --
• Suns: Gentry, Morris, O'Neal

• Lead Changes: 12
• Times Tied: 5

• Arena: US Airways Center, Phoenix, AZ
• Officials: #24 Mike Callahan, #47 Bennie Adams, #34 Kevin Cutler
• Attendance: 15678
• Duration: 2:20