'Looking forward to it': High-scoring Devin Booker, Suns face defending NBA champion Warriors

The Golden State Warriors have done more than win four NBA championships in the last eight seasons.

They’ve set the standard Monty Williams says everyone else is trying to achieve.

“They’re just one of the flagship organizations in the NBA and we’re all, nobody wants to admit it, but we’re all shooting for them,” Williams said. “So you have to respect it.”

The Suns (2-1) face the Warriors (2-1) Tuesday in the first of four meetings in the regular season that may be previews to a possible playoff matchup.

“I’m looking forward to it,” Suns All-Star Devin Booker said. “It’s been a fun start to the season. They’re playing well. Just had a big win versus Sacramento. They played really well. Just go home tonight, re-watch that game and get ready for it.”

Phoenix is coming off an 112-95 road win Sunday against the Los Angeles Clippers after losing in overtime Friday at Portland.

Booker scored a season-high 35 points with 18 coming in the first half Sunday.

“He’s been doing this for a long time,” Clippers All-Star Kawhi Leonard said about Booker, who is averaging a career-high 32 points through three games this season. “He’s playing great.”

The Suns came out of Sunday’s game healthy as Cam Johnson and Landry Shamet went into the matchup against the Clippers with hip injuries.

Johnson scored 11 points, hitting 3-of-4 from 3 Sunday, after a right hip contusion sidelined him most of the fourth quarter and overtime at Portland.

“It’s sore, but it’s OK,” Johnson said. “It’s getting better by the day.”

Shamet had missed Phoenix’s four previous games counting the preseason with a left hip strain. He scored eight points in his return, making 2-of-5 from deep.

Williams said the return of Shamet and Johnson put players in their right spots on the floor.

That showed in Sunday’s win.

“We were so locked in defensively,” Suns wing Torrey Craig said. “That sets the tone for us in a lot of different areas. It helps our offense, it helps us get easy points in transition”

The bench had their best overall performance Sunday as four reserves scored at least eight points.

Cameron Payne scored 10, Jock Landale finished with nine while Craig and Shamet each had eight.

Going 2-of-5 on 3s, Craig played the most of the reserves Sunday at 25 minutes, two more than Johnson. Williams said he’d like to keep Johnson under 30.

“I think he’s fresher that way,” Williams said. “He plays so doggone hard, he ends up with these bumps and bruises that he can’t help, but if I can keep his minutes in that mid to upper 20s, I think he’s more effective.”

Have opinion about current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on Twitter at @DuaneRankin.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: High-scoring Devin Booker, Suns face defending NBA champion Warriors