Warriors and KD cool Heat, Embiid hot
OAKLAND: Kevin Durant scored a game-high 39 points as NBA champions Golden State Warriors rallied from an early 19-point deficit to edge the Miami Heat 120-118 on Sunday.
DeMarcus Cousins sank two free throws with 5.4 seconds left to play to help the Warriors hold off the Heat, who fell eight behind in the fourth quarter but took a 118-115 lead with 51.5 seconds left after back-to-back steals and baskets from Josh Richardson and Dwyane Wade.
Durant responded with his first three-pointer of the contest — after six misses from beyond the arc — to tie the game and Cousins made his free throws to seal the Warriors’ 15th win in their last 16 games.
“We knew it was going to be a game they came out and played hard on both ends of the court,” Durant said.
“They came out and hit us in the mouth early, but I like how we withstood the storm and kept fighting.”
Durant said there was no mystery to the Warriors’ comeback, fueled by a 12-0 scoring run early in the third quarter.
“We were just locked in, playing our brand,” he said. “We moved the ball, we made shots after a while — it took us a while to wake up on Sunday.”
Klay Thompson scored 29 points for the Warriors and Stephen Curry finished with 25.
At Philadelphia, Joel Embiid scored
37 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to power the 76ers over the Los Angeles Lakers 143-120 in a match-up of high-profile NBA clubs.
The 24-year-old, 7ft (2.13m) Cameroonian was supported by 22 points from Tobias Harris and 21 more from JJ Redick in a romp over LeBron James and the Lakers, who fell to 28-28.
At 36-20, the 76ers pulled within
5.5 games of Eastern Conference leaders Milwaukee.
A trade with the Los Angeles Clippers added Harris to the line-up and Embiid likes the move even though new players must adjust to the 76ers in mid-season.
“I think we got better,” Embiid said. “These new guys, we’ve got to teach them the new system, but I think we’re going to be great.”
Every Embiid rebound came on the defensive boards, with the African star already seeing himself as the NBA’s top defender.
“I feel like defensively I’m the best in the league and that’s where it starts,” Embiid said. “When I can carry the load defensively I’m going to do so.”
James had 18 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists in a losing cause.