Suns clinch 8-seed, set up first-round showdown with defending champs

PHOENIX (KYMA) - The Phoenix Suns are playoff-bound, and they did it in convincing fashion.

Behind a dominant 36-point performance from Jalen Green, Phoenix rolled past the Golden State Warriors 111-96 Friday night in a winner-take-all Play-In matchup, locking up the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference.

Green was electric from the jump, shooting 14-of-20 from the field and knocking down eight three-pointers, setting the tone for a Suns team that controlled much of the night.

Devin Booker added 20 points, while Jordan Goodwin made his presence felt on both ends with 19 points, nine rebounds, and six steals.

Defensively, Phoenix made life difficult for Stephen Curry, holding the veteran guard to just 17 points on 4-of-16 shooting a key factor in shutting down Golden State's offense.

The Suns came out fast, building a double-digit lead early and stretching it to 18 by the third quarter. While the Warriors showed signs of a comeback late, cutting the deficit to single digits in the fourth, Phoenix responded with a decisive run to put the game away.

Tempers also flared late, as Booker and Draymond Green were both ejected after exchanging words in the fourth quarter.

For Golden State, the loss ends their season, despite a 23-point effort from Brandin Podziemski.

Now, the focus shifts to the postseason.

With the win, Phoenix advances to face the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round, with Game 1 set for Sunday.

The road doesn't get any easier but the Suns are in, and their playoff run is officially underway.