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Curry and the Warriors hit a fifth gear, obliterate the Suns

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The Phoenix Suns didn't do themselves any favors when they went 0-3 in three winnable games and that became even more apparent in their loss to the Golden State Warriors.

The Suns played very good basketball in the first half, but the Warriors hit a fifth gear and shot 15-20 from three in the first half. That's right, 15 threes at the half when they took only 20. Despite the Suns shooting 57% and getting 28 points from Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight combined at the half, the Warriors led by 18.

Stephen Curry legitimately put on a show. The term showman is the only thing that comes to mind. After his first couple of ridiculous shots, everyone in the crowd -- even casual fans -- started buzzing and making noise as soon as he touched the ball. It was mass hysteria at times and I doubt there's anything else like it that you will see at a sporting event this year.

Curry had 27 points and eight assists on only ELEVEN shots in the first half.

It's worth mostly noting only the first half because the game was over at that point. The Suns couldn't keep up at that 57% pace and the Warriors basically invited them back into the game with a sloppy start to the half. A Harrison Barnes injury and Klay Thompson getting in foul trouble further exemplified that, but the Suns just looked mentally exhausted.

Curry finished with 41 points and 8 assists and Draymond Green had a triple-double.

Tyson Chandler picked up a strained left hamstring injury in the opening minutes and did not return.

The Suns start a six-game road trip in Toronto on Sunday.

Here are my game notes below.

First Quarter

There's not really much to say. The Warriors and Curry were the team that we all know they are. The only thing the Suns did wrong was not take advantage of a couple of opportunities earlier in the game and got baited into attacking mismatches when the Warriors switched everything. There's a couple of defensive mistakes in there as well, but that comes with the territory of playing one of the best teams ever.

Bledsoe was the only player on the floor for Phoenix that looked like he belonged with the Warriors in the first quarter.

Curry was a legitimate showman. I've never really agreed with that term and using it for athletes, but he really is. The entire crowd was waiting for it every time he touched the ball and he kept delivering. This is only the firs quarter by the way. I kept trying to say something to someone next to me on media row and I just couldn't. I was speechless.

Second Quarter

Suns had a nice run of cutting the deficit down to 11, but that was with both Bledsoe and Knight in the starting lineup while Curry and Green got rest. With that said, they played well. The thing is, there's a reason I called this Warriors team an apocalyptic force.

The Suns started over-rotating like they would last season and I think that's a sign of mental fatigue. I made a point in my preview that you have to be on your game 100% of the time you are in the game on both ends or they will take advantage. The Warriors got roughly four or five baskets in this quarter because of mental mistakes defensively and that was the biggest difference besides Curry's carnival in the first quarter.

Worth noting that the Warriors shot 15-20 from three in the first half. They are good, but the Suns should have been in this game and they were down EIGHTEEN FREAKING POINTS AT HALF.

Third Quarter

Harrison Barnes went down with a left ankle injury and Klay Thompson had four fouls. At this point in the third quarter, down 11, the Suns had a legitimate opportunity to get back in the game and take control. Instead, the Warriors got two wide open layups and some more Steph, which was more on the Suns than it was Curry being magnificent.

Hornacek would sit both Bledsoe and Knight with around three minutes to go, which I'm guessing was to get them rest and try to make a run at the start of the fourth quarter when Curry gets his rest The problem is that the Suns were down 24 at the end of the quarter.

Fourth Quarter

Game over at this point. The Suns just looked gassed.

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