With seven technical fouls whistled in the third quarter alone, including the expulsion of Klay Thompson, his first in his career, it is an understatement to say that this clash between the Suns and the Warriors was boiling.
Clearly, there was a lot of tension, as well as a scent of the playoffs, between the two teams.
“Both teams wanted it, but it was nothing personal. We respect them, they are the champions”explains Monty Williams to ESPN. “They force you to play at your best, because they are the best. Emotions arise because there is competition. »
It was in this third quarter that Deandre Ayton and his team made the difference, winning 33-20, before driving the point home in the last act, 29-19.
“We did not have a drop in energy in this match”, rejoices the pivot for arizona sports. “We set the tone physically, staying within the limits. I’m not going to say we did it to make them crack, but they were touched. Teams don’t like it when you hit them over and over again, especially if you’re on the edge. »
“It shows progress compared to last season”
But that tension could also have derailed Phoenix and benefited the Warriors. Faced with this moment when nerves were on edge, the Suns were able to keep calm and play smart, without being overwhelmed by refereeing decisions.
“I’m very proud of that,” continues and rejoices Ayton. “It shows progress from last season. There were a lot of emotions and, at the same time, we continued to play our basketball. The whistles weren’t going our way? Not serious. We played our game and we concluded. »
On the side of the losers, we do not make the same observation. Steve Kerr and Draymond Green did not put forward the emotional argument to explain the slide of Klay Thompson and company after the break.
“We lost our game. We still have a lot of work to do, we are not a finished product, we are far from it. We are very bad in defense. regrets the coach, before being confirmed by his interior. “The involvement in defense is not there”, adds Green. “We have to do better, me first. Right now, we’re a good offensive team and a bad defensive team. »
