What Kerr believes were the “murderers” in the Warriors’ loss to the Suns
What Kerr believes were the “murderers” in the Warriors’ loss to the Suns originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The Warriors went all out during their game 108:104 loss to the Phoenix Suns but ultimately were unable to prevail in the season opener at the Chase Center on Tuesday.
The Suns were relentless on offense all evening, and Warriors coach Steve Kerr pointed out that Phoenix’s rebounding effort was the difference in this game.
“Their offensive rebounds were awesome,” Kerr said. “I thought [Josh] Okogie was the difference tonight. Just his offensive boards, his rushing plays, I thought he was really the key for them.”
Okogie led the Suns with four offensive boards, adding to his incredible night in which he scored 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting, including a dagger 3 in the final seconds of the shot clock that pushed the Suns’ lead to 103 -99 expanded with 1:08 left in the fourth quarter.
The Suns grabbed 17 offensive rebounds as a team and turned those extra chances into 20 second-chance points. Five different Suns players recorded multiple offensive boards, highlighting the entire team’s determination to fight for every possible opportunity to score additional possessions.
Phoenix’s hustle and bustle on the boards continued in a similar way Trend for Golden State from last season when the Warriors ranked in the bottom third of the NBA in offensive rebounds allowed per game.
Overall, Phoenix won the rebounding battle 60-49, with their performance on the glass proving crucial in a duel of Western Conference heavyweights with title aspirations.
