Golden State WarriorsOpen full analysis
Phoenix SunsOpen full analysis
The Phoenix Suns edged the Golden State Warriors 99–98 on December 18 at Footprint Center in a defensive grind that fell well short of the Vegas total of 229.5 points. Devin Booker led Phoenix with 25 points while Devin Brooks added 24, though the Suns shot just 40.9 percent from the field and made only 10 three-pointers. Golden State's Jimmy Butler III paced all scorers with 31 points, supported by Bogdan Bogdanović's 18, yet the Warriors' superior efficiency—27 assists and 12 made threes—could not overcome 20 turnovers and a fourth-quarter collapse. Phoenix's fourth-quarter surge of 29 points proved decisive after the team managed just 20 in the second quarter, while Golden State's 18-point third quarter left them unable to recover. The Warriors dominated the glass with 54 rebounds to Phoenix's 49 and forced 16 steals, but their defensive rating of 98.3 allowed the Suns' balanced attack to prevail in a low-scoring affair. The loss leaves Golden State vulnerable in the Western Conference standings despite their playmaking advantage.
