Will Richard Makes His Case Loud and Clear as Warriors Edge Suns in Gritty Win
If Steve Kerr was looking for someone to seize the moment, Will Richard just grabbed it with both hands. After spending the last three games watching from the bench, the rookie guard re-entered the Golden State Warriors’ rotation Saturday night and made an immediate impact, helping snap a three-game skid with a hard-fought 119-116 win over the Phoenix Suns at Chase Center.
Golden State came into the night shorthanded-no Al Horford, no Jonathan Kuminga, and no Draymond Green for most of the game after his early ejection in the second quarter. But Richard didn’t just fill a gap-he lit a spark.
In just 19 minutes off the bench, the 22-year-old dropped 20 points and grabbed five rebounds, shooting a blistering 6-of-7 from the field and a perfect 4-of-4 from deep. That kind of efficiency doesn’t just earn you more minutes-it demands them.
This was a Warriors team that’s been searching for players to step up and assert themselves. Richard didn’t hesitate.
His shooting gave a much-needed jolt to a Golden State offense that hit just 34.7% from three as a team. And while the Suns had Devin Booker going off for a game-high 38 points, Richard’s timely buckets helped keep the Warriors in control down the stretch.
One of the defining moments came late, when Spencer Dinwiddie came up with a sneaky steal and found Richard for a smooth transition three. It was the kind of play that turns heads-not just in the arena, but in the film room.
Stephen Curry once again led the way for the Warriors, finishing with 28 points on 9-of-19 shooting, plus nine rebounds and six assists in 35 minutes. He was steady all night, a calming presence in a game that had its fair share of chaos. Jimmy Butler continued his strong play, following up a 31-point outing on Thursday with 25 more, including a critical and-one in the final minute that helped ice the game.
The Suns had a chance to flip the script in the closing seconds. Colin Gillespie found himself wide open in the corner with under 15 seconds to go-but his three rattled out, and the Warriors escaped. Phoenix, like Golden State, struggled from beyond the arc, finishing at 34.3% after a red-hot 44-point first quarter that had the Warriors playing catch-up early.
Golden State’s defense took over in the middle quarters, even without Green, who was tossed after picking up two technicals just eight minutes into the game. In his place, Brandin Podziemski stepped into a larger role, starting the second half and logging 30 minutes. The third-year guard chipped in 11 points, three boards, and six assists-another example of a Warrior answering the call when the rotation needed a lift.
The win bumps the Warriors to 14-15 on the season, a small but meaningful step as they look to build momentum heading into a critical stretch. Next up: the Orlando Magic come to town, followed by a marquee Christmas Day matchup with the Dallas Mavericks.
But for now, the spotlight belongs to Will Richard, who made it clear-he’s not just back in the rotation. He’s here to stay.