Curry runs riot for Golden State

Los Angeles, Jan. 4: Twotime MVP Stephen Curry got his swagger back on Sunday night, scoring a career-high 62 points as the Golden State Warriors outgunned the Portland Trail Blazers 137-122.

It was just like old times for Curry, arguably the greatest shooter in the history of the NBA.

Curry, who played just five games in the coronavirus-shortened 2019-20 season due to a broken hand, drained eight of 16 from beyond the arc to score the most points by a Warrior since Rick Barry scored 64 in the 1970s.

The Warriors went wireto-wire for the win at the Chase Center in San Francisco and Curry got into the zone early, delivering 21 points in the first quarter and capping his night with 17 points and several late threes in the fourth.

Curry topped his previous high of 54 with two free throws with 2:23 to play and capped his night with a nothing-but-net three pointer with 42 seconds remaining. It was his seventh career 50-point game.

The 50-point night was the NBA’s first of the season, while the 60-pointer was the first for a Warrior since Klay Thompson had 60 in 2016.

WIZARDS NIP NETS

Elsewhere, Thomas Bryant stuffed the go-ahead dunk with 14.9 seconds left and the Washington Wizards held on for a 123-122 victory over the Brooklyn Nets.

Bradley Beal led the Wizards with 27 points and 10 rebounds and assisted on Bryant’s decisive basket, which stood up as Nets stars Kyrie Irving and

Stephen Curry scored a career-high 62 points as Golden State Warriors stifled Portland Trail

Blazers 137-122.

In another game, LeBron James garnered 22 points for Los Angeles Lakers as they got past Memphis Grizzlies 108-94.

Kevin Durant both missed on the final possession of the contest.

It was a drama-filled finish at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, where Timothe LuwawuCabarrot put the Nets ahead 122-121 with a wideopen layup with 28.2 seconds remaining.

After a timeout, a doubleteamed Beal managed to find Bryant under the basket.

LAKERS PIP GRIZZLIES

In Memphis, reigning champions the Los Angeles Lakers notched their third straight road win, with LeBron James scoring 13 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter of a 108-94 victory over the Grizzlies in Memphis.

The Grizzlies, without reigning Rookie of the Year Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. because of injury, used a 17-0 scoring run to take an 11-point lead at the end of the first quarter.

But the Lakers closed the half on a 20-9 scoring run to lead by two at the interval and with a determined James leading the way finally pulled away in the final period. —