Green, Curry spur Warriors

Oakland, March 15: Stephen Curry scored 29 points on his 29th birthday as the Golden State Warriors staged a fourth quarter rally to defeat the Philadelphia 76ers and halt their threegame losing streak on Tuesday.

The Warriors looked to be heading for a shock defeat at the Oracle Arena after the hapless Sixers led by 12 points at the end of the third quarter.

But a defiant defensive performance from Warriors stalwart Draymond Green and some merciless shooting from Curry saw the Dubs home in a nailbiting 106-104 victory that saw them improve to 53-14.

As well as his 29-point haul, Curry had six rebounds and four assists.

Green meanwhile scored 20 points and snared eight rebounds and eight assists in a crucial performance that also included six blocks.

The Sixers, who fell to 2443 with the defeat, saw Dario Saric top score with 25 points while Jahlil Okafor added 22 points.

Triples for LeBron, Westbrook Elsewhere on Tuesday, there were easy wins for the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Oklahoma City Thunder, with both LeBron James and Russell Westbrook notching triple doubles for their respective teams.

James, 32, constructed his 10th triple-double of the season in the Cavs 12896 blowout over the Detroit Pistons.

The Cavaliers star — who has now notched four triple-doubles in March alone — finished with 16 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists.

It was the latest evidence that James is switching into playoff mode as he has done consistently when the business end of the season comes into view.

Cavs coach Tyronn Lue however insisted James’ form had been solid for months.

“He hasn’t done anything different,” Lue said. “He’s almost averaging a tripledouble. I think he’s averaging 26 (points), nine (assists), and eight (rebounds). That’s almost a triple-double every single night,” Lue said.

Westbrook meanwhile was given a standing ovation by an appreciative New York crowd at the Barclays Center as the Thunder romped past the Brooklyn Nets 122-104.

The crowd saluted Westbrook after he completed his 33rd triple-double of the season, leaving him eight shy of Oscar Robertson’s all-time record of 41.

Westbrook, who finished with 25 points, 19 assists and 12 rebounds, later admitted he had been taken aback by the warmth of his reception.