OAKLAND -- Though the Warriors repeatedly have vowed to up their level of engagement down the stretch, they showed little evidence of change Sunday night against the lowly Phoenix Suns.
The Warriors allowed the Suns to rally for a 115-111 win, marking the first time in nearly five years that Phoenix beat Golden State in a game. The Suns outshot, outrebounded and, in most stretches, outplayed the back-to-back defending NBA champs.
In a game the Warriors claimed they wanted, their actions did not back it up. Here are the takeaways from their disappointing loss at Oracle Arena.
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KD goes down, and the Suns go on a run
Kevin Durant suffered a right ankle contusion in the fourth quarter and did not return. Following Durant's absence, the Suns seized control of the game, outscoring the Warriors 20-16 over the last five minutes.
Devin Booker scored 37 points, including two free throws with 17.7 seconds left to ice the game.
Sunday's defeat marks the second loss in the last three games for the Warriors, and the first time the Suns have beaten the Warriors since Nov. 18, 2014.
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Another good start
For the second consecutive game, the Warriors had a strong start, jumping to a 27-11 lead in the first quarter.
Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant combined for 20 of the Dubs' 29 first-quarter points. Aiding the offensive attack was the Warriors' defense, which forced the Suns into five first-quarter turnovers.
Such starts would be welcomed for the champs, who have struggled to stay engaged, except for ...
Another bad second quarter
The Warriors were outscored 40-28 in the second quarter, allowing the Suns to shoot 71.4 percent, as they erased a 16-point deficit.
Golden State's second-quarter performance was a carbon copy of the showing in Friday's win over the Denver Nuggets, when the Warriors let a 19-point lead go to waste before halftime.
Sunday's performance proved the Warriors still have a long way to go to find the level of consistency they are searching for before the NBA playoffs start.