Suns’ Jalen Green gets last laugh vs. Warriors with dominant Play-In victory

PHOENIX– Jalen Green got his retribution on Friday after a dominant 36-point showing in the Phoenix Suns’ 111-96 win over the Golden State Warriors.

Although the Suns had a brutal loss just three days prior, it seems they went back to their roots.

Tenacious defense, intentional ball movement, and being the team that others hate to play against were extremely evident. With their backs against the wall, Green had yet another masterful performance.

He’s had a combined 71 points in the past two games, putting the team on his back. It’s a transition from the 2025 first-round series, where the Warriors’ defense got the best of Green.

Everyone wondered how he would be in these situations, considering last season’s woeful disappointment. However, he took the time to learn from those and had a chance at retribution.

“I remember what they (Golden State) did last year. It’s not going to leave, my first playoff series. As I said before, there’s a lesson in every situation. It’s never a failure.”

Jalen Green says that he was motivated to take down the Warriors after what happened last season:

“I remember what they (Golden State) did last year. It’s not going to leave, my first playoff series. Like I said before, there’s a lesson in every situation. It’s never failure.”… pic.twitter.com/mDB3ifvY2F

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) April 18, 2026

During Friday’s game, Green showed why the Suns traded for him. He was masterful, tying a career-high in 3-pointers made with eight. Again, the degree of difficulty was vast, but he made it look effortless.

He made a more concerted effort to get into the paint, dodging and weaving past Golden State defenders with ease. The intensity was present, and it felt there was more to his game.

Jalen Green saw how to handle high-pressure situations

Also, Green shared that the entire team wasn’t pleased with Tuesday’s loss. That played a factor but a little revenge never hurt anyone on the basketball court.

The Warriors made the then No. 2-seeded Houston Rockets look like newbies on the playoff stage. With the inexperience, he’s been surrounded by players like Devin Booker and Jalen Green, who have been there.

“Just seeing how Book approaches the games at the end of the season, and his mindset going in. You kind of see it’s a lead-by-example type of guy, and you kind of just pick up on his habits and everything he’s doing,” Green explained about habits he’s learned.

“So, watching that, you kind of implement that into your game. We do the same thing. He does the same thing. Both of them guys be in my ear too, telling me ‘stay aggressive,’ what they see out there. It’s always good having people like that in your corner to kind of help you direct and navigate.”

The Suns will be on a short turnaround as they’ll take on the No. 1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday.

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