Curry, Warriors cool down Suns

Thunder crack 6th straight victory

Boston Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas (4), drives on Detroit Pistons center Aron Baynes (12), in the second half of an NBA basketball game on Dec 16, in Auburn Hills, Mich. (AP)

OAKLAND, California, Dec 17, (Agencies): Klay Thompson scored 27 of his season-high 43 points in the third quarter as the Golden State Warriors responded to their first loss after a 24-0 start by beating the Phoenix Suns 128-103.

Stephen Curry added 25 points on 10-of-14 shooting and seven assists as Golden State returned home from its two-week trip that ended with its lone defeat, 108-95 on Saturday night at Milwaukee. That also ended a 28-game overall winning streak by the Warriors, second-longest in NBA history.

Draymond Green had 16 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists for his fourth triple-double this season, while Thompson hit 15 of 22 shots and 8 of 13 3-pointers in his first 40-point game this season.

Mirza Teletovic scored 24 points off the bench to lead the Suns, whose poor showing sent the sellout crowd to the exits midway through the fourth.

Spurs 114, Wizards 95 In San Antonio, Kawhi Leonard scored 27 points as San Antonio set a club record with its 23rd straight home victory, rolling past Washington.

LaMarcus Aldridge added 14 points and Manu Ginobili and Patty Mills each had 11 for San Antonio. The Spurs are 14-0 at home and 22-5 overall.

John Wall and Marcin Gortat had 20 points apiece for the Wizards. Gortat grabbed 10 rebounds. Washington was without leading scorer Bradley Beal and fellow starter Nene.

Heat 104, Nets 98 In New York, Dwyane Wade scored 10 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter, and Hassan Whiteside had 20 points and 13 rebounds to help Miami beat Brooklyn.

Goran Dragic added 16 points, Gerald Green had 13 and Justise Winslow 11 for Miami in the Heat’s third straight victory. Brook Lopez scored 25 points, and Jarrett Jack had 22 points and 10 assists for the Nets. They dropped the final three games of their six-game homestand.

The Nets cut it to 101-98 when Jack made three free throws with 1:01 left. Wade countered with a floater with 43 seconds remaining, and Dragic capped the scoring with a free throw with 5 seconds left.

Clippers 103, Bucks 90 In Los Angeles, Chris Paul had 21 points and eight assists as Los Angeles overcame center DeAndre Jordan’s ejection to beat Milwaukee.

Jordan had nine points and eight rebounds in 18 minutes. He left with 6:49 remaining in the third after getting a pair technical fouls from referee Marc Davis with the Clippers leading 66-52. The calls stemmed from a battle over a loose ball with Bucks guard Michael CarterWilliams.

J.J. Redick scored 19 points and Blake Griffin added 15 points for the Clippers. O.J. Mayo and Michael Carter-Williams each scored 17 points for the Bucks. They have lost 11 straight on the road.

Knicks 107, Timberwolves 102 In New York, Carmelo Anthony had 20 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists, and Arron Afflalo scored 29 points, as New York beat Minnesota.

Kristaps Porzingis had 11 points, six rebounds, six blocks and three assists for the Knicks in his first matchup against fellow rookie and No. 1 pick KarlAnthony Towns.

Towns had 25 points and 10 rebounds, Andrew Wiggins had 23 points, and Zach LaVine added 19 points for the Timberwolves.

Thunder 106, Trail Blazers 90 In Oklahoma City, Kevin Durant scored 24 points, leading Oklahoma City past Portland for its sixth straight victory.

Dion Waiters scored 18 points, Enes Kanter had 12 points and 13 rebounds, and Steven Adams added 11 points and 11 rebounds for the Thunder, They have held seven consecutive opponents under 100 points.

C.J. McCollum scored 24 points and Damian Lillard added 20 for the Trail Blazers, but Lillard was held scoreless on 0-for-9 shooting in the second half.

Bulls 98, Grizzlies 85 In Chicago, Jimmy Butler scored 24 points and Derrick Rose added 19 as Chicago beat Memphis.

Butler and Rose shook off recent illnesses, and the Bulls used a big third quarter to tie a season high with their fourth straight win.

Doug McDermott scored 17 points one shy of his career high and hit four 3-pointers. Pau Gasol added 10 points and 14 rebounds in his 21st game against younger brother Marc.

Hawks 127, 76ers 106 In Atlanta, Paul Millsap scored 21 points and Jeff Teague added 18 as Atlanta routed Philadelphia to snap a three-game skid.

The Hawks had lost 11 of 18 after starting the season 7-1, but they never trailed against the woeful Sixers, who dropped to 0-16 on the road, 1-26 overall.

Isaiah Canaan finished with a seasonhigh 24 points for Philadelphia.

Pacers 107, Mavericks 81 In Indianapolis, Monta Ellis scored 13 of his 19 points in the third quarter, C.J. Miles added 20, and Paul George had 19 to help Indiana beat Dallas.

The Pacers trailed 47-45 at halftime, and outscored Dallas 30-17 in the third quarter. Ellis was scoreless in the first half, but the former Maverick scored six straight points early in the third to ignite the Pacers. Indiana led by 26 in the fourth quarter.

Magic 113, Hornets 98 In Orlando, Florida, Channing Frye had a season-high 17 points in Orlando’s victory over Charlotte.

Evan Fournier had 15 points, Nik Vucevic had 14 points and eight rebounds, Elfrid Payton had 12 points and nine assists and Tobias Harris had 13 points for Orlando. The Magic led by 25 points in the fourth quarter before turning the game over to the reserves.

Pelicans 104, Jazz 94 In Salt Lake City, Ryan Anderson scored 24 points to lead New Orleans past Utah.

Anthony Davis had 17 points and 13 rebounds, and Eric Gordon added 19 points for the Pelicans.

Derrick Favors had 16 of his 22 points in the third quarter, added seven rebounds and matched a career high with five assists for Utah. Gordon Hayward had 20 points and six rebounds.

Pistons 119, Celtics 116 In Auburn Hills, Michigan, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored a career-high 31 points as Detroit beat Boston.

Reggie Jackson finished with 23 points, including 14 in the third quarter. Andre Drummond had 16 points and 12 rebounds. Jarded Sullinger had 17 points and 10 rebounds for Boston.

Brooklyn Nets guard Shane Larkin was diagnosed with a concussion, one day after he was injured during practice, the team announced.

Larkin will not be cleared to return to the court until he passes the NBA’s concussion protocol guidelines. He was knocked down late in practice on Tuesday, but that the time he complained only of upper back and neck stiffness. Golden State Warriors’ Andre Iguodala (left), looks to pass over Phoenix Suns’ P.J. Tucker during the first half of an NBA basketball game on Dec 16, in Oakland,

California. (AP)