WARRIORS STRETCH STREAK TO 12
Atlanta Hawks’ loss places them to second in Southeast Division
OAKLAND—Golden State extended its winning streak to a dozen games by holding off Atlanta in a close finish and winning, 105-100, on Monday, led by 25 points and 14 rebounds from Kevin Durant.
Draymond Green blocked two shots in the final 43.4 seconds to preserve victory for the Warriors, who moved two games clear atop the Pacific Division from the Los Angeles Clippers. Those division rivals have the two best records across the NBA.
Atlanta’s loss saw the Hawks slip to second in the Southeast Division behind Charlotte, which started strongly to take victory at Memphis, while Oklahoma City remained half a game clear in the Northwest Division as Russell Westbrook recorded another triple double and the Thunder beat New York.
Golden State’s Stephen Curry scored 25 points with four 3-pointers, and Klay Thompson added 20 points as Golden State’s Big Three—including Durant— each reached 20 points for the second consecutive game.
The Warriors won their seventh straight home game and fifth in a row there against Atlanta while welcoming back Green from a one-game absence while injured.
Dennis Schroder scored 24 points for the Hawks.
Charlotte’s Kemba Walker and Jeremy Lamb scored 21 points apiece as the Hornets won, 104-85, at Memphis.
Walker and Lamb were a combined 14 of 25 from the field, including 7 for 13 on 3-point attempts. The rest of the Hornets were 2 of 13 from outside the arc.
Marc Gasol led the Grizzlies with 19 points and eight rebounds. Mike Conley had 15 points before leaving in the third quarter with a lower back injury.
Westbrook
Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook got his third straight triple-double and nearly did it by halftime, finishing with 27 points, 18 rebounds and 14 assists for his NBAleading eighth of the season as the Thunder beat New York, 112-103.
Westbrook had 14 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists at the break and is now averaging a triple-double for the season, raising his averages to 30.9 points, 11.3 assists and 10.3 rebounds through more than a month of the season.
Enes Kanter added a season-high 27 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the Thunder.
Best
Derrick Rose scored a season-best 30 points, but the Knicks had their six-game home winning streak snapped.
Boston’s Isaiah Thomas had 25 points to lead the Celtics past Miami, 112-104.
Avery Bradley added 18 points for the Celtics, who beat Miami for the fourth consecutive time. The 112 points were the most scored against the Heat this season. (AP)