Stephen Curry Finally Delivers on Christmas Day as Golden State Warriors Take Down Phoenix Suns

(Photo : Christian Petersen/Getty Images) PHOENIX, ARIZONA - Stephen Curry #30 and Otto Porter Jr. #32 of the Golden State Warriors greet Chris Paul #3 of the Phoenix Suns following the NBA game at Footprint Center on December 25, 2021 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Warriors defeated the Suns 116-107.

In their much-anticipated showdown on Christmas Day, the Golden State Warriors stamped their class over the Phoenix Suns, recording a 116-107 victory in front of a packed crowd at Footprint Center. Stephen Curry stole the show for the Warriors, who extended their winning streak to three games.

Curry shines in battle of league's top 2 teams

With the win, the Warriors grabbed sole possession of the first place in the Western Conference, holding a half-game lead over the Suns in the team standings with their 27-6 record. Both teams entered Saturday's game with winning percentages of at least .800, only the third time that NBA featured such a contest on Christmas Day.

Curry struggled mightily the last time he played in Phoenix, missing 17 of his 21 field goal attempts in a 104-96 loss late last month. Curry made sure that would not happen again, torching the Suns with 33 points on 10 of 27 shooting from the field. Curry shot 5 of 16 from deep as he cracked the 20-point mark for the first time in nine Christmas Day games.

Curry and the Warriors have been regulars on the NBA's Christmas slate, playing on this holiday in 11 of the last 12 seasons. The Suns, on the other hand, were playing in their first Christmas Day game since 2009.

The Suns have become must-watch TV since the arrival of Chris Paul to their lineup. Last season, Phoenix came close to winning the NBA title, losing 4-2 to the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2021 Finals. The Suns picked up right where they left off, winning 26 of their first 32 games this campaign.

This time around, Curry got off to a strong start, scoring 11 points in the first quarter to help Golden State build an early 10-point lead. In the second quarter, the Suns battled back strongly, uncorking a 15-3 run to enter the break with a 62-58 advantage.

Porter Jr. steps up for undermanned Warriors

The Warriors were at a huge disadvantage in this contest, with three of their top four scorers placed on the league's health and safety protocols. Andrew Wiggins, Damion Lee, and Jordan Poole tested positive for COVID-19, leaving the Warriors a mountain to climb in the second half.

Fortunately for the Warriors, other players stepped up big time in their absence. Otto Porter Jr. scored 19 points against the Suns, seven of which came in a key late stretch. Porter knocked down consecutive jumpers, and a deep three after Phoenix sliced Golden State's lead to two points in the dying minutes.

The main difference in this game was the Warriors' defensive brilliance. They held the Suns scoreless in the final 3:01 to preserve the win. It was a disappointing result for the Suns, who had their 15-game home winning streak snapped.