Players missing, not players coaching now the story between Suns, Warriors

PHOENIX – At the time, it didn’t appear to be a big deal, at least to Phoenix Suns interim head coach Jay Triano.

His players, namely guard Troy Daniels and forward Jared Dudley, however, felt differently. They took it personally. Daniels used the word disrespectful.

Of course, that was more than a month ago when Golden State head coach Steve Kerr allowed his players — Andre Iguodala, Draymond Green and David West — to take over the coaching duties in what was a 129-83 Warriors win over the Suns on Feb. 12.

On Saturday, the two teams meet again.

“I said what I said at the time. But at the end of the day, Steve Kerr is a champion on both sides. I can’t really dwell on what he’s doing. I mean, he’s a champion as a coach and a champion as a player. Kudos to him,” Daniels said Friday.

“(We’re) just trying to finish the season out strong.”

Triano, too, had moved past what happened.

“I know it became a big story, but I just think, at this time of year and at that time of year with teams, everybody has got their own issues that they’re going through and trying to figure how to bring guys together,” he said. “I didn’t take it as an attack on us at all. I took it as a guy trying to figure out how to motivate his own team.”

This time around Triano and Kerr will both be trying to figure out what players will be available to play.

Guard Devin Booker is officially listed questionable with a right hand sprain. He played through the injury — suffered earlier in the week in practice — in the game at Utah, though it clearly bothered him. Booker shot just 3-of-18 and finished with 12 points.

“It’s just a matter of trying to figure out how he can make it comfortable where he’s able to be effective on the court,” Triano said.

Booker had his hand taped during the game after first trying a splint in pregame warm-ups.

“If it’s not comfortable and it’s bothering him…then I don’t know if they’ll let him play,” Triano said.

Then there’s starting center Tyson Chandler and forward Marquese Chriss.

Chandler has not played the last two games, recording a DNP-Coach’s Decision against Cleveland and then landing on the inactive list at Utah.

“I wouldn’t say there’s nothing physically (wrong),” Triano said, “but I think the toll of the neck thing and the shoulder thing, lots of little things bothering him. It’s just going to be day-by-day with him.”

Chandler missed seven games around the all-star break with a neck spasm.

Chriss, meanwhile, was waiting to hear if he would even be allowed in the building on Saturday. The NBA is reviewing the third-quarter incident between him and Jazz guard Ricky Rubio.

“I hope not,” Chriss said, when asked about a possible suspension.

Now the Warriors.

Their injury report heading into Friday’s game with Sacramento was a long one, highlighted by three of their four all-stars. Stephen Curry (right ankle) and Klay Thompson (right thumb) will not play and won’t play against the Suns, while Kevin Durant (rib soreness) is also out.

In addition, forward Jordan Bell (right ankle), guard Quinn Cook (right hand), guard Patrick McCaw (left wrist) and forward David West (right arm) are all dealing with injuries.

“You got to make sure you’re locked in whoever is on the court. It’s the NBA. We’re not going to take them for granted. I know they’re not going to take us for granted,” Daniels said. “Any given night, anything can happen.”

Chriss to state his case

Following practice, Chriss had a phone call to make. The league wanted to hear his side of the story and what led to his ejection at the 6:55 mark of the third quarter.

“I don’t have comments to say what happened,” Chriss told reporters. “Whatever happened, you can see it on camera. I think that’s pretty much that. Leave it at that.”

Chriss knocked Rubio to the ground when Rubio and Dudley were nose-to-nose after Dudley pushed Rubio to the ground trying to prevent a Jazz fast-break.

Just seconds earlier, Chriss went to the ground himself, landing hard after a failed dunk attempt.

“I thought (center Rudy Gobert) elbowed me in my waist and kind of knocked my legs out from under me,” he said, “but the refs didn’t think so they didn’t call (a foul) and I was frustrated.”

Chriss added, his frustration had nothing to do with him going after Rubio.

“Just being there for my teammate,” he said.

Alan Williams is ready, almost

Before making his Suns season debut, center Alan Williams will play one game in the G League. The plan is to suit up for the Northern Arizona Suns next Wednesday, according to Williams.

“I think that’s important to be able to get a game in down there, get a little bit of flow, see how it is to push against different guys and stuff like that,” he said.

Williams, who underwent right knee surgery in September, is hoping to see his first NBA action on the Suns’ next road trip — a back-to-back set at Cleveland and Orlando — March 23-24.

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