October 25, 2026 at 5:04 AM UTC

Postgame Report

Booker's 43 lifts Suns past short-handed Warriors, 131-122

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Devin Booker scored 43 and put together a 12-point run in the third quarter as Phoenix recovered from a season-opening blowout in Portland.

The Suns spent three days with the memory of a 41-point loss at Portland on Oct. 21, and on Saturday night they gave Phoenix something better to talk about. They beat the Golden State Warriors 131-122 to even their record at 1-1. It was not tidy, but it was a clear improvement on the opener.

Golden State arrived thin. Stephen Curry, with his ankle a concern, and Brandin Podziemski were not expected to play, and the Warriors took the floor short-handed, leaning on younger and lesser-known players. They were also on the second night of a back-to-back, while the Suns had two full days off. In a regular-season game in late October, that gap can matter more than the standings suggest.

The game moved back and forth for longer than the final score implies. Phoenix trailed at points in the first half before taking a 57-54 lead into the break, and Golden State went back in front 73-71 in the third. Then Devin Booker took over. He scored 12 straight Phoenix points in the quarter, and the Suns went from that narrow deficit to a 102-92 lead they did not give back.

Booker finished with a game-high 43 points and was one of six Suns in double figures, a spread that was missing in Portland. The Warriors kept it within reach for most of the night, but with their best players out and the tired legs of a second straight night, they could not match what Phoenix had at the end.

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