SAN FRANCISCO -- Trying to end a three-game losing streak while facing the NBA's best is no easy ask. That's what the Warriors were up against Wednesday night at Chase Center against the Phoenix Suns.
The Warriors gave the Suns every single thing they had, and should have came away with a win. Too many turnovers, early foul issues, missed layups and some late breakdowns caught up to them in a 107-103 loss, their fourth in a row and seventh in their last eight games.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
Jordan Poole had a career night in front of the home fans and again looked like the Warriors' best player not named Steph Curry with their superstar out. If only he got more help from Golden State's secondary scorers.
Klay Thompson and Andrew Wiggins combined to go 11-for-37 from the field and 3-for-16 from 3-point range.
Here are three takeaways from a frustrating loss that dropped the Warriors to 48-29 on the season.
Poole Party Continues
Golden State Warriors
Find the latest Golden State Warriors news, highlights, analysis and more with NBC Sports Bay Area and California.
In a showdown full of stars, Poole was the one Warrior who continued to stand out. The third-year pro never scored at least 20 points in four straight games coming into the season. He now has done so in 15 consecutive contests after scoring a season-high 38 against the Suns, which also tied his career-high.
Poole scored 10 straight points in the first quarter as the Warriors were searching for anything on offense, and put up 12 of Golden State's first 20. He scored 15 total in the first, and that was just the start for the rising star.
The most apparent play where it was clear how much the Warriors trust Poole is when Draymond Green pushed the ball up the floor, had an open Klay for a 3-pointer but opted to hit Poole instead. It was the right choice, too. Poole rewarded Draymond with three more points, one of his seven 3-pointers on the night.
Poole was more than just a scorer, too. On top of his 38 points, he also grabbed nine rebounds and dished seven assists.
GP2 The Game-changer
Gary Payton II entered the first quarter with the Warriors down 15-7 and desperately needing an energizer. GP2 was the answer. After bringing his non-stop effort on both sides of the ball, the Warriors outscored the Suns by 11 points to close out the first quarter and went into the second with a 32-29 lead.
He wound up playing 28 minutes and scored 10 points while going 5-for-8 from the field, and always does more than the stats show.
Payton's skill set will shine based by matchups, and against the Suns, Steve Kerr went to him early and often. The only problem is, Payton still clearly is being hobbled by a knee issue and had to limp down the tunnel at the 8:43 mark in the fourth quarter. He returned to the bench a few minutes later and came back in with a little under five minutes to go.
Playoff Atmosphere
Whether it was Poole heating up or Draymond having his voice heard from the top row, Chase Center was rocking in the Warriors' first home game in 10 days. Golden State just ended a brutal five-game road trip over seven days and came away with only one win.
RELATED: Suns coach Williams believes JP among top scorers in NBA
But against the West's best and NBA Finals favorites, the fans and players alike brought their best to San Francisco. Chase Center is about to get its first taste of the playoffs in the near future. Wednesday night was a good glimpse of what's to come.
Take a look at the box score, too. This was the healthiest the Warriors have been in quite some time, minus Steph Curry and James Wiseman. However, four Warriors were stuck to the bench all game long. Rookies Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody combined to play six minutes and didn't take a single shot.
The Warriors still live by their Strength in Numbers mantra. At the same time, rotations are tightening up and playing time is becoming more scarce for certain players.