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Thompson, Warriors Beat Suns For 15th Straight Time

PHOENIX (AP) — Klay Thompson scored 22 of his 34 points in the first quarter and the Golden State Warriors beat Phoenix for the 15th consecutive time, 117-100 on Sunday night in the final home game of the Suns' awful season.

Kevin Durant added 17 points and nine assists for the Warriors, whose winning streak against Phoenix is a franchise record for a single opponent.

With the loss, and Memphis' win over Detroit, Phoenix — at 20-61 — is assured the worst record in the NBA and, consequently, the most ping pong balls in the May 15 draft lottery.

Danuel House scored a career-high 22 for Phoenix. Alex Len added 16 points and 10 rebounds, Dragan Bender 14 points and 14 boards, and Tyler Ulis 15 points and 10 assists.

The Warriors, who had lost two in a row and five of their previous eight, were already locked in to the No. 2 playoff spot in the Western Conference and working to get healthy for the playoffs, but still had Durant, Thompson and Draymond Green in the lineup against the severely depleted Suns.

Phoenix was without Devin Booker (right hand sprain), T.J. Warren (left knee inflammation), Josh Jackson (right quad contusion), Marquese Chriss (hip soreness), Elfrid Payton (left knee) and Alan Williams (right knee soreness). Troy Daniels tried to play despite a sprained ankle but sat out the second half.

Golden State didn't have Stephen Curry, still recovering from left MCL sprain, Andre Iguodola (left knee soreness) and Patrick McCaw (lumbar spine contusion).

Thompson scored 19 consecutive Warriors points in the first quarter, going 9 for 11 from the field and 4 for 6 on 3s in the period. But Golden State led only 33-29 after one.

The Warriors stretched the lead in the second quarter. Durant scored on a 3-pointer — his first field goal of the game — and added a driving layup to put the Warriors up 55-41. Golden State led by as many as 18 in the second quarter and were up 64-50 at the break.

The Suns never seriously challenged after that.

SUNKEN SUNS

Phoenix has won twice — in 28 games — since Jan. 31 and is guaranteed to finish no better than 21-61, the second-worst record in the franchise's 50-year history. Only the 1968-69 mark of 16-66 was worse.

The past three seasons, the Suns have won 23, 24 and 20 games. Highly competitive in the Steve Nash era, they will miss the playoffs for the eighth consecutive season.

Phoenix has lost 31 of its last 34.

TIP-INS

Warriors: It was the eighth time that Thompson has scored at least 20 in a quarter. ... Durant didn't score a point until he made one of two free throws with 6:27 left in the half. ... Warriors last loss to the Suns on Nov. 9, 2014 in Phoenix. ... Warriors have won in Phoenix the last seven tries. ... With the win, Golden State is 10-4 in the second half of back-to-backs this season.

Suns: This was the 34th different starting lineup Phoenix has used this season. ... Booker has missed the last 11 games but has not been declared out of the Tuesday night season finale. ... Jackson was hurt in the team's loss to New Orleans on Friday night.

UP NEXT

Warriors: At Utah on Tuesday night in regular-season finale.

Suns: At Dallas on Tuesday night in last game of season.

© Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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