Pat Spencer scored a career-high 20 points and Gui Santos added 18 as the shorthanded Golden State Warriors erased a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit to edge the Phoenix Suns 101-97 on Thursday night.
Phoenix appeared in control after taking an 82-76 lead into the fourth, holding Golden State to just 17 points in the third quarter. The Suns pushed the advantage to 90-76 early in the period with Collin Gillespie hitting back-to-back 3-pointers. But the Warriors mounted a methodical comeback, tying the game at 97 with 55.8 seconds remaining on a De’Anthony Melton layup off a Moses Moody feed. Santos scored on a fast-break layup with 28.7 seconds left to give Golden State a 99-97 lead.
Dillon Brooks led the Suns with 24 points, while Grayson Allen added 21. Allen assisted on Oso Ighodaro’s dunk to make it 97-91 with 3:55 remaining but did not score again after leaving the game with a right knee injury. Phoenix also missed key contributors Devin Booker (ankle) and Jalen Green (hamstring/hip).
The Warriors played without Stephen Curry (knee) and Kristaps Porzingis, who hasn’t yet joined the team following his trade from Atlanta. Golden State led 59-55 at halftime, making 15 of 37 3-pointers, with Spencer contributing 15 points on five triples.
Golden State secured the win as Brooks missed a 3-pointer in the final seconds and Gary Payton II grabbed the rebound, setting up Melton’s game-winning layup.
Up next:
The Warriors visit the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday, while the Suns host the Philadelphia 76ers.
