Warriors face Suns, try to end five-game road skid

The Golden State Warriors are once again experiencing difficulties winning on the road.

The Warriors are saddled with a five-game road losing streak and will look to halt it on Tuesday night when they visit the Phoenix Suns.

The recent struggles are reminiscent of last season, when Golden State was 11-30 on the road. Only three teams had worse road records.

Golden State takes on Phoenix with the Suns again failing to put their “Big Three” of Bradley Beal, Kevin Durant and Devin Booker on the floor together for the first time. The Suns ruled out Durant (ankle) for the second straight game on Tuesday afternoon. Durant also missed the Suns’ 114-106 home loss to the Sacramento Kings on Friday.

Beal is slated to play Tuesday for just the fourth time this season and first since Nov. 12. He has been plagued by back problems and sat out the past 12 games.

Beal was acquired from the Washington Wizards in the offseason to form a trio with Booker and Durant. But Beal and Booker have yet to play in the same game this season while Beal has played in just three games with Durant.

“It still becomes an initial phase of these three playing together,” Suns coach Frank Vogel said. “There’s going to be a cohesion that has to be built amongst them and the guys that are out there with them. … You never know how these things are going to shape. Sometimes it clicks right away because of their talent alone and sometimes it takes time.”

Beal, a three-time All-Star, averaged 17.3 points and 5.3 rebounds in his three appearances for Phoenix. But he shot just 39.1 percent from the field.

The Suns haven’t played well lately and have lost four of their past five games. Their lone victory during that stretch came against the Memphis Grizzlies, who have one of the worst records in the NBA.

One of the setbacks in Golden State’s current road skid came in Phoenix on Nov. 22. The Warriors dropped that game 123-115 when Stephen Curry had a season-low 16 points while former Warriors star Durant scored 32 for the Suns.

Curry has averaged 29.5 points in six games since that contest and has scored at least 31 points in three of those outings. He tallied 34 on Friday when Golden State dropped a 138-136 overtime decision to the host Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Warriors committed an astounding 29 turnovers in that contest, leading to 35 Oklahoma City points. It was their 10th loss in 14 games and also left them two games below .500 more than 25 percent of the way through the season.

Golden State coach Steve Kerr said there is plenty of time for his club to get into gear, and he isn’t ready to join the chorus of people saying this is no longer the Warriors team that won four of the last nine NBA titles.

“We’re good enough to win a championship,” Kerr said. “I believe that. This team. But if we are just going to turn it over and throw the ball to the other team and foul over and over, then we’re going to lose.”

Klay Thompson scored 22 points against the Thunder after being 8 of 26 from the field over the previous two games when he had 11 points against the Portland Trail Blazers and 17 against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Thompson missed practice on Sunday due to illness but returned to practice Monday and is slated to play. Guard Gary Payton II (calf) will miss his fifth straight game.

Guard Grayson Allen (groin) and forward Nassir Little (concussion) are out for the Suns.

Phoenix is 2-0 against the Warriors this season, also prevailing 108-104 in San Francisco in the season opener on Oct. 24.

–Field Level Media

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