The Quick Answer
The Phoenix Suns defeated the Golden State Warriors 111-96 on April 17, 2026, at the Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix. The game served as the Western Conference play-in tournament’s 8th seed elimination game. Jalen Green exploded for 36 points on 14-of-20 shooting, while the Suns’ defense held Stephen Curry to just 17 points on 4-of-16 shooting.
With the win, the Suns clinched the No. 8 seed and advanced to face the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round. Golden State’s season ended in the play-in for the third consecutive year.
The Stakes: One Game, One Shot
NBA fans know the play-in tournament is brutal. Win or go home. No mulligans. No “we’ll get ’em next game.”
For the Warriors, this was familiar territory. They’d been bounced from the play-in before. For the Suns, it was a chance to prove they belonged in the postseason conversation.
This was a winner-take-all matchup for the Western Conference’s final playoff spot. Phoenix held home-court advantage at Mortgage Matchup Center, but that didn’t guarantee anything. They’d blown an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter against Portland just days earlier. Meanwhile, Golden State had erased a 13-point deficit against the Clippers to even get here.
The matchup carried serious weight. Both teams had identical 1-1 play-in records coming into the night. Someone’s season was ending.
Warriors vs Suns Final Score Breakdown
Here’s how the scoring broke down quarter by quarter:
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final |
| Golden State | 15 | 30 | 24 | 27 | 96 |
| Phoenix | 33 | 17 | 28 | 33 | 111 |
Key takeaway: Phoenix built a massive lead early, Golden State fought back in the second quarter, but the Suns controlled the second half and closed strong.
Phoenix Suns 111, Golden State Warriors 96. That’s the Suns vs Warriors final score that sent Phoenix to the playoffs and sent Golden State home.
| Team | PTS | FG | 3PT | FT | REB | AST | STL | BLK | TO | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix Suns | 111 | 39-81 48.1% | 18-49 36.7% | 15-15 100% | 42 | 28 | 14 | 5 | 12 | +15 |
| Golden State Warriors | 96 | 33-74 44.6% | 11-33 33.3% | 19-23 82.6% | 38 | 22 | 5 | 3 | 20 | -15 |
How Phoenix Dominated the First Quarter
The game was effectively won in the first 12 minutes. No exaggeration.
Phoenix came out with playoff intensity from the opening tip. They jumped to a 13-2 lead after forcing four early Warriors turnovers. Golden State looked shell-shocked.
The Suns pushed the lead to 33-15 by the end of the first quarter. Golden State shot a miserable 30% from the field and went 1-of-9 from three-point range. They looked like a team that’d played a high-stakes elimination game just two nights earlier.
Key takeaway: Phoenix’s defensive pressure and Golden State’s early sloppiness created an 18-point hole that proved too deep to escape.
The Warriors’ Second-Quarter Response
To their credit, Golden State didn’t roll over.
The Warriors recovered in the second quarter, cutting the deficit to 50-45 by halftime. They played with more energy, moved the ball better, and started hitting shots inside.
Brandin Podziemski was the catalyst. He led the Warriors with 23 points on the night and kept them within striking distance when things looked bleak.
But here’s the thing…
The Warriors expended massive energy just to get back into the game. And Phoenix had more gas in the tank.
Key takeaway: Golden State’s comeback was impressive, but it wasn’t sustainable. Phoenix had controlled the pace and tempo from the opening tip.
Jalen Green’s Masterpiece
If there was one player who defined this game, it was Jalen Green.
He finished with 36 points on 14-of-20 shooting, including 8-of-14 from three-point range. That’s an 80% effective field goal percentage on high volume. Absurd efficiency.
Green wasn’t just chucking. He was picking his spots, moving off screens, and punishing Golden State’s pick-and-roll coverage. His eight threes were the difference between a close game and a blowout.
“Happy as hell,” Green said after the game. “We came out fire; we knew this was a do-or-die game”.
Key takeaway: Green’s 36-point performance was the most impactful individual showing of the night. He outscored Curry and made the biggest shots when it mattered.
Devin Booker and Jordan Goodwin’s Supporting Cast
Jalen Green got the headlines. But he didn’t do it alone.
Devin Booker added 20 points, playing his usual composed, mid-range mastery game. He was a calming presence when Phoenix’s lead wobbled.
But the unsung hero was Jordan Goodwin. He scored 19 points, grabbed 9 rebounds, and recorded 6 steals. He was a menace on defense, disrupting passing lanes and turning defense into offense.
Phoenix’s backcourt trio of Green, Booker, and Goodwin combined for 75 points. That’s championship-level production from the guard rotation.
Key takeaway: The Suns had three players scoring 19+ points. Golden State had one (Podziemski with 23).
Stephen Curry’s Quiet Night
This was the story that hurt the Warriors most.
Stephen Curry finished with 17 points on 4-of-16 shooting. For a player who’s spent a decade torching defenses, it was a shocking output.
Phoenix threw multiple defenders at Curry. They trapped him on pick-and-rolls. They forced him to give up the ball. They made him work for every single shot.
At 38 years old, Curry didn’t have the legs to escape the Suns’ defensive pressure. And when Draymond Green couldn’t create enough offense for him, the Warriors’ offense stagnated.
“He couldn’t get many clean looks,” wrote AP’s David Brandt.
Key takeaway: Phoenix’s defensive game plan was simple: shut down Curry, make someone else beat you. No one else stepped up enough.
The Draymond Green- Devin Booker Ejection Drama
This game had fireworks. Literally.
With just over a minute left, Draymond Green and Devin Booker were both assessed two technical fouls and ejected after exchanging words multiple times.
The tension had been building all night. Green (Golden State’s Draymond) had been jawing at Phoenix’s bench all game. Booker finally had enough. The two went back and forth, and the officials had seen enough.
Even as Green walked off the court, he taunted the Phoenix crowd. Classic Draymond.
Key takeaway: The ejections didn’t affect the outcome—Phoenix was already up big. But they added spice to an already emotional night.
Kristaps Porzingis’ Limited Role
Golden State had hoped Kristaps Porzingis would give them size and spacing. It didn’t happen.
Porzingis played through right ankle soreness, an injury from the Clippers game two nights earlier. He managed just 15 minutes, finishing with 11 points.
His limited minutes forced Golden State to go small more often. That played into Phoenix’s hands. The Suns had better perimeter shooting and could match any small-ball lineup.
Key takeaway: Golden State’s injury issues caught up with them. Porzingis wasn’t at full strength, and it showed.
Key Stats That Decided the Game
Let’s break down the numbers that mattered most.
| Stat Category | Golden State | Phoenix |
| Field Goal % | 44.6% (33-74) | 48.1% (39-81) |
| 3-Point % | 33.3% (11-33) | 36.7% (18-49) |
| Free Throw % | 82.6% (19-23) | 100% (15-15) |
| Turnovers | 20 | 12 |
| Steals | 5 | 14 |
Three stats jump out:
- Turnovers (20 vs 12): Golden State coughed up the ball 20 times. Phoenix turned those into easy transition buckets.
- 3-Point Volume (49 vs 33): Phoenix took 16 more threes and hit 18 of them. That’s 54 points from deep alone.
- Steals (14 vs 5): Jordan Goodwin had more steals (6) than the entire Warriors team. Phoenix’s defense was relentless.
Key takeaway: Golden State beat themselves with turnovers and couldn’t keep up with Phoenix’s perimeter shooting.
What This Means for Both Teams
Phoenix Suns (45-37)
The Suns clinched the No. 8 seed and advanced to face the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1 on Sunday. The Thunder are the defending NBA champions. Phoenix is a significant underdog. But after this performance, they have nothing to lose.
Phoenix avoided becoming the first team to lose both home play-in tournament games since the format’s inception in 2021. That was a significant motivation heading into this game.
Golden State Warriors (37-45)
This was the Warriors’ third consecutive season eliminated in the play-in tournament. The dynasty is officially in maintenance mode.
At 38, Curry is still capable of greatness. But the supporting cast is aging and expensive. The Warriors face tough decisions this offseason: do they retool around Curry? Tear it down? Or run it back with the same core?
Key takeaway: Phoenix gets a shot at the Thunder. Golden State enters a long offseason of questions.
Question: What was the final score of the Warriors vs Suns game on April 17, 2026?
Question: Who led the Phoenix Suns in scoring against the Warriors?
Question: How many points did Stephen Curry score in the play-in game?
Question: Were Draymond Green and Devin Booker ejected from the game?
Question: What’s next for the Phoenix Suns after beating the Warriors?
Bottom Line
The Phoenix Suns beat the Golden State Warriors 111-96 on April 17, 2026, eliminating Golden State from the play-in tournament. Jalen Green’s 36-point explosion and Phoenix’s stifling defense on Stephen Curry (17 points on 4-of-16 shooting) were the key factors.
The Suns shot 37% from three-point range and forced 20 Warriors turnovers, while only turning it over 12 times themselves. Phoenix advances as the No. 8 seed and will face the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder. Golden State’s season ends in the play-in for the third straight year.
Sources
- AP News, “Green scores 36 points, Suns lock down Warriors, Curry in 111-96 win,” April 17, 2026
- NBA.com, “Golden State Warriors vs Phoenix Suns Apr 17, 2026 Game Summary”
- NBA.com, “Warriors Eliminated From Postseason in Play-In Tournament Loss to Suns”
- ESPN, “Suns 111-96 Warriors (Apr 17, 2026) Final Score”
- Philstar.com, “NBA Playoffs: Suns eliminate Warriors,” April 18, 2026
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