In what was arguably the most frantic game of the 2023–24 NBA season, the Golden State Warriors fell to the Phoenix Suns 123–115 on Wednesday night. The Warriors have already had a game this season with multiple ejections before a point was scored, so that says a lot.

Even though it wasn’t their first heated altercation, referee Scott Foster dismissed Warriors guard Chris Paul in the second quarter following a heated back-and-forth. Despite several strong runs by the Dubs bench, the team ultimately lost due to terrible play by certain key players for Golden State.

Even though he shot 1-for-8 from beyond the arc, Steph Curry only managed to muster 16 points, putting up what was arguably his worst season effort. Andrew Wiggins also looked to have reverted to his season-defining lackluster play. Wiggins went back to being a supporting cast member after missing all three of his field goal attempts. The shooting of Klay Thompson was a lone bright spot for the seasoned Warriors. With six three-pointers and twenty-three points in twenty-five minutes of play, Thompson led the team.

Head coach Steve Kerr of the Warriors withdrew the starting on various occasions as the Suns established a 23-point advantage in the second half. Even while it wasn’t a calculated maneuver, it certainly had the desired effect. The only Warriors to end with a positive plus/minus were Brandin Podziemski (+20), Cory Joseph (+12), Dario Šarić (+12), and Gui Santos (+3). Ten points, four boards, two assists, and three steals were all Podziemski’s stats. Šarić managed to score 17 points despite attempting nine field goals.

In the last second, the Warriors bench made it within three points of Phoenix’s advantage, but they were still too behind to win. The Warriors appear to be in a state of chaos as they fall to 7-9 on the year. The NBA is a league full of superstars, so while there’s cause for excitement about a growing youth movement, the Warriors are patiently waiting for their senior players to gel.