Curry sizzles as Warriors slice up Clippers
Heart extend winning streak to seven • Thomas leads Celtics over Bucks in OT • T'Wolves stay hot
Steph Curry bombed in five three-pointers in a personal 25-point, third-quarter explosion, helping the Golden State Warriors run away from the Los Angeles Clippers in a 144-98 victory on Saturday night.
The All-Star starter, playing at home for the first time since the formal announcement last week, poured in a game-high 43 points, delivering the Warriors an eighth consecutive regular-season win against their Western Conference rival.
The 46-point victory margin was the Warriors’ biggest of the season. The Clippers, meanwhile, had not previously lost by more than 26 this year.
Curry swished a 51-foot buzzer-beater at the end of the second quarter, but his best was yet to come.
He connected on eight of his 11 shots, including five of his eight three-point attempts in the third quarter, during which the Warriors went for 45 points and ran off to a 117-74 lead.
Despite not playing in the fourth period, Curry recorded his third 40-point game of the season and came within three of his season-high, set in November against New Orleans.
Kevin Durant contributed 23 points and a team-high seven assists, and Klay Thompson had 16 points for the Warriors, who notched their fifth straight home triumph.
Curry (9-for-15), Durant (3-for-4) and Thompson (2-for-3) combined for 14-for22 shooting from three-point range, as the Warriors made half their 34 attempts from beyond the arc as a team.
Curry also found time for a team-high nine rebounds and six assists, helping Golden State gain a 48-32 advantage on the boards and record 30-plus assists for the 31st time this season with 35.
The Warriors are now 30-1 when logging 30 or more assists in a game.
Blake Griffin, playing for just the second time since returning from knee surgery, led the Clippers with 20 points. J.J. Redick added 13 points for Los Angeles, which has not beaten the Warriors in the regular season since 2014.
The Clippers fell to 1-4 since losing star guard Chris Paul to thumb surgery.
Heat 116, Pistons 103
Goran Dragic scored eight of his 23 points in the fourth quarter and Miami extended its winning streak to seven games by defeating visiting Detroit.
The Heat also got 19 points from Wayne Ellington, 18 points from James Johnson and 17 points from Dion Waiters, including 13 in the first quarter. Miami has the longest active win streak in the NBA with the team’s longest unbeaten run since February 2014.
The Pistons were led in defeat by center Andre Drummond’s 17 points and gamehigh 20 rebounds.
Kings 109, Hornets 106
DeMarcus Cousins had 35 points and 18 rebounds, and road-weary Sacramento pulled out a victory over Charlotte.
Cousins gave the Kings the lead for good at 108-106 following a drive with 14.3 seconds remaining.
After Charlotte’s Frank Kaminsky airballed a three-point attempt, Cousins came back with a free throw with 0.9 seconds remaining for the final margin.
The Kings were playing the sixth contest of a 12-day, eight-game road trip.
Celtics 112, Bucks 108 (OT)
Isaiah Thomas scored 37 points and Jae Crowder added 20 as Boston hand Milwaukee an overtime loss at home.
Thomas knocked down six three-pointers and went 11-for-21 from the floor.
The Bucks got 21 points from Giannis Antetokounmpo and 17 from reserve Michael Beasley. But Jabari Parker started 0-for-8 from the floor and went 2-for-13 from the game to finish with four points while Milwaukee shot 42.5 percent.
Timberwolves 129, Nets 109
Karl-Anthony Towns had 37 points and 13 rebounds as Minnesota cruised to a win over Brooklyn.
Andrew Wiggins scored 23 points, Zach LaVine added 20 points and Gorgui Dieng had a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds for Minnesota, which is finding its way under first-year coach Tom Thibodeau.
The Timberwolves have won seven of their past 10 games and five of the past six at home.
Grizzlies 102, Jazz 95
Zach Randolph scored 28 points and collected nine rebounds while Mike Conley added 23 points to lead Memphis to a victory over Utah.
Marc Gasol added 18 points for the Grizzlies, which won the season series 3-1.
Rodney Hood scored 20 points and George Hill added 16 to lead the Jazz. Alec Burks and Rudy Gobert chipped in 15 points apiece. Utah lost for the third time in four games.