Curry shines; James does it all
LOS ANGELES – Points came easily for Steph Curry on Saturday. Eleven in his first five minutes, 17 before the game was 8 1/2 minutes old.
“I just wanted to start off the game right,” Curry said. “It’s obviously weird starting a game at 12:30 (p.m.). You’ve got to find that energy and something to build momentum, especially early.”
He had a season-high 45 points without playing the fourth quarter and the Golden State Warriors ran away from the Los Angeles Clippers 121105 for their fourth straight win.
“I knew right away, when I got free for a couple of threes in the first quarter and they went down, I got in a rhythm,” Curry said. “Beyond that, you just keep your head down and keep shooting and stay aggressive.”
Curry took advantage of the guard-depleted Clippers, making 11 of 21 shots, including 8 of 16 3-pointers.
In Orlando, Florida, LeBron James did a little bit of everything in the Cleveland Cavalier’s victory over the Magic.
James had 33 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists and six steals, but it was his steady presence on the floor in the final six minutes that made the difference in Cleveland’s 131-127 victory Saturday night.
Cleveland let a 20-point fourthquarter edge dwindle down to three before and the Magic’s shooting touch ran out, much of it because James helped the Cavs make enough plays to secure the win.
“I play both sides of the floor,” James said. “I don’t just score or rebound or pass the ball. Anytime you get a steal it allows us to get the ball in the open court and not play against a set defense.”
Kevin Love hit six 3-pointers and finished with 27 points for the Cavaliers, and Isaiah Thomas had 19 points and four assists in his second appearance and first start of the season following a hip injury.
Dwyane Wade added 16 points and nine rebounds, including retrieving a Thomas’ airball and laying it in to give the Cavs a fivepoint cushion with 17.8 seconds left.
Elsewhere, it was Boston over Brooklyn, 87-85; Detroit over Houston, 108-101; Indiana over Chicago, 125-86; Milwaukee over Washington, 110-103; Minnesota over New Orleans, 116-98.