Inspired Curry leads Warriors to opening win
OAKLAND, California: Stephen Curry capped a gamehigh, 32point performance with a key threepoint play with a minute and 46 seconds remaining yesterday, helping the host Golden State Warriors hold off Oklahoma City Thunder, the team of New Zealander Steven Adams, 108100 in the second half of the NBA’s openingnight doubleheader.
Kevin Durant also dropped in 27 points for the Warriors, who overcame 7for26 shooting from threepoint range to win on opening night for the first time in three seasons.
Paul George had a teamhigh 27 points and Dennis Schroder made his Oklahoma City debut with 21 points. They helped the Thunder hang tough with the twotime defending champions while Russell Westbrook watched from courtside, still recovering from knee surgery.
Curry’s threepoint play came after the Thunder, down by 14 in the first half, had closed to 9997 when Adams converted the second of two free throws with 1min 57sec to go.
Durant added a hoop, two free throws and an assist in the final minute, helping Golden State hold on.
Adams had a doubledouble for the Thunder, with 17 points and 11 rebounds.
The Warriors led for the first 28 minutes, with Curry propelling them to an early 3119 advantage by making his first two 3point attempts.
A free throw by Durant with just over 3min left in the half gave Golden State a 5339 lead, which the Thunder trimmed to 5747 by halftime.
In the earlier game, Ben Simmons put on a show and fell just short of a tripledouble for the Philadelphia 76ers, but it was Aron Baynes and his Boston Celtics who reigned supreme, soundly beating the 76ers 10587 at home.
The Celtics knocked the 76ers out of last season’s playoffs and continued their dominance in the anticipated matchup.
Boston’s secondyear forward Jayson Tatum topscored for his team with 23 points.
Simmons was outstanding with 19 points, 15 rebounds, eight assists, four steals and two blocks. The reigning NBA rookie of the year’s game involved nolook, behindtheback and offtheground passes, slashes to the basket, dunks and jump hook shots.
Baynes, coming off the bench, had the Boston crowd on its feet with his strong, scrappy and inspirational play while going headtohead with 76ers’ All-Star centre Joel Embiid.
The Queenslander had eight points, four rebounds, three assists and hit two of his four threepoint attempts.
Embiid had 23 points and 10 rebounds.
The Celtics’ AllStars, Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward, who missed the playoffs last year, had seven and 10 points respectively.