Settle last year's grudge on today's battlefield.

The Suns versus Warriors elimination game was a proving ground for Jalen Green.

Last season in the first round of the playoffs against the Warriors, Jalen Green faced a "Black Seven" upset and was eliminated. In that series, he averaged 13.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.9 assists, with a shooting percentage of only 37.2%. In Game 7, Green surprisingly lost himself under Buddy Hield's defense, so before today, fans joked: "Good news, the Warriors don't have Hield this time."

It can be said that Jalen Green's first playoff experience became the most direct reason for the Rockets to give up on him. If Green had led the team to the second round, the Rockets might not have traded him for Durant. For the Suns, failing to advance in the first round of the play-in was certainly a disappointment, but for Jalen Green, he got a rare opportunity to personally send the Warriors home.

In the first play-in game loss to the Trail Blazers, Jalen Green played solidly, arguably his best performance since joining the Suns. He shot 14 of 29, scoring 35 points with 5 rebounds and 2 assists, single-handedly bringing the score back in the fourth quarter, though he ultimately missed the game-winning three-pointer.

The Suns' overall size was much smaller than the Trail Blazers, getting bullied quite badly. However, against the Warriors, the good news was that their size actually became an advantage. Even though Marvin wasn't playing today, the Suns could still apply significant defensive pressure on the Warriors, especially on Curry.

In the first quarter, the Warriors dug themselves into a 18-point hole, with more turnovers than made baskets. The second quarter saw a reversal, with the Warriors winning the quarter by 13 points. In the first half, Jalen Green was arguably the Suns' most stable player. He hit two three-pointers in the first quarter, and with 2.1 seconds left in the second, he nailed a tough three-pointer to extend the lead to 5 points. That shot was crucial—the difference between 2 and 5 points is significant.

In the third quarter, Jalen Green's shooting touch exploded completely. Starting from the 8-minute mark, Green consecutively hit three three-pointers, pushing the lead back to double digits. His three-pointers today weren't just forced pull-up jumpers over defenders; they were also deep-range shots, letting the Warriors taste the despair brought by "Curry-style threes."

In the final quarter, Jalen Green continued scoring, hitting a three-pointer from the corner and making consecutive difficult mid-range shots. Shooting 4 of 5 in the quarter, he firmly sealed the Warriors' coffin and successfully settled last year's grudge today.

For the entire game, Jalen Green shot 14 of 20, including 8 of 14 from three-point range, and was perfect inside the arc, scoring 36 points with 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 3 blocks—an almost flawless revenge performance. Before today, Green had a 5-16 record against the Warriors, but this single game washed away all the humiliation from his Rockets era.

The game's logic today was quite straightforward: the Suns clamped down on Curry, and the Warriors clamped down on Booker. However, the Suns had a secondary explosion from Jalen Green and an X-factor like Goodwin emerging, while on the Warriors side, Curry shot 4 of 16, and the team's highest scorer was Podziemski. Their offensive firepower couldn't match the Suns, and their fourth-quarter fatigue was evident.

The end of the game was quite amusing. When the Warriors conceded, Draymond on the bench kept jawing with Booker, and the referees, fed up with the arguing, ejected both. Draymond left the court amid cheers from the Suns' home crowd, ending the season in a very high-profile manner.

Before that, Curry, Draymond, and Kerr—the core trio—huddled together, saying something unknown, easily leading to speculation since Kerr's contract ends this year. This might very well be the last time these three appear together for the Warriors.

In 2024, Kerr signed a two-year extension. During this period, Kerr had many opportunities to extend early with the Warriors, but he never confirmed his future. He has been the Warriors' head coach for 12 years, winning 4 championships and becoming one of the top fifteen coaches in history. If he leaves at this point, I wouldn't be surprised.

The Warriors' season journey ends here. Honestly, Warriors fans shouldn't feel too regretful, as the first play-in game was played so excellently, already writing a perfect ending for the season. The Warriors' season was plagued by injuries: Butler and Moody were out for the season, Curry long troubled by runner's knee, and his legs uncomfortable throughout these two play-in games.

Under such circumstances, it was quite an effort for the Warriors to reach the final moment of the play-in before elimination. Moreover, stepping back, the Warriors still have this year's lottery draft opportunity, able to select a talented young player in a strong draft year—at least offering more hope than the Clippers.

Even if the story ends here, regret won't be the main theme. This group has already created too many legends. When next season begins, the Warriors will still be that Warriors, and Curry will still be Curry.