Warriors, Spurs win
OAKLAND, Calif. — Klay Thompson scored 40 points and Stephen Curry added 33 to help the Golden State Warriors become the second team to post back-to-back 65-win seasons with a 128120 victory over the Dallas Mavericks.
Draymond Green added 19 as the Warriors won their 52nd straight regular-season home game and improve their record to 65-7 following a 67-win season a year ago. The only other team to win at least 65 games in consecutive seasons was Chicago in 1995-96 and 1996-97. The Bulls won a record 72 games that first season, a mark the Warriors remain on target to beat after their latest win.
Golden State hit 21 3-pointers to give them a record 938 on the season, breaking the mark of 933 set by Houston last season. Dallas hit 18 3s as the teams combined for a record 39 on the night.
Wesley Matthews scored 26 points and J.J. Barea added 21 for the short-handed Mavericks, who were without three usual starters. David Lee added 12 points, nine rebounds and six assists in his first game back in Oakland since winning the championship with Golden State last season.
The Warriors opened up an 18-point lead in the third quarter before Matthews helped lead Dallas back. He scored 18 points in the quarter as the Mavericks closed to within 102-89 after three. Dallas got the deficit into single digits early in the fourth three times, only to have Thompson respond with 3-pointers each time to restore the double-digit margin.
SPURS WIN 37TH STRAIGHT AT HOME, TIE BULLS' MARK
In San Antonio, the Spurs continue to roll no matter who's on the floor.
LaMarcus Aldridge had 32 points and 12 rebounds and the Spurs defeated the similarly short-handed Memphis Grizzlies 110-104 on Friday night to match the best home start in league history with their 37th in a row.
San Antonio's streak tied the season-opening mark set by the Chicago Bulls in 1995-96 during their record 72-victory season. The Spurs have won 46 consecutive regular-season games at home, dating to March 2015.
It was that workmanlike attitude that enabled the Spurs to win despite Kawhi Leonard missing the game with a bruised right quadriceps and Danny Green, Boris Diaw and Patty Mills all sitting out for rest. The Grizzlies weren't in any better shape with starters Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph, Mike Conley and three others out with injury.
Aldridge took control offensively with four of San Antonio's most prolific scorers out, but not without a late scare.
Memphis' JaMychal Green had consecutive dunks and Chris Andersen followed with a driving layup to cut San Antonio's once 17-point lead to 94-92 with 7 minutes remaining. The run led to audible groans of concern from the sellout crowd.
But Manu Ginobili hit a pair of 3-pointers and Kevin Martin added another to ease the tension and give San Antonio another home victory.
Ginobili's first 3-pointer came on a 5-on-4 fastbreak after Stephenson remained behind defensively after missing a 4foot bank shot on which he thought he was fouled.
Tony Parker added 14 points, Ginobili had 13 and Tim Duncan 12 in the Big Three's final game before a two-game break for rest starting Saturday in Oklahoma City.
HARDEN HITS ANOTHER TRIPLE-DOUBLE
In Houston, the Rockets snapped a three-game skid with a 112-109 win over the Toronto Raptors on Friday night, James Harden was asked if he felt they had to win the game. There was no hesitation in his reply. "We've got to win every game from here on out," Harden said. "We've only got a handful left so each and every game is important. We've got to take advantage of opportunities."
Harden had his third triple-double this season with 32 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds to help the Rockets to the victory, which moved them into seventh place in the Western Conference standings with nine games left in the regular season.
Houston squandered a double-digit lead early but opened the fourth quarter with a big run to take control.
Patrick Patterson scored five quick points to get Toronto within 110-107 with 10.1 seconds remaining, but Trevor Ariza made two free throws after that to secure the win.
It's Toronto's second straight loss overall and its ninth loss in a row in Houston, where the Raptors haven't won since 2007.
In the last few minutes, Toronto stars DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry both get ejected for arguing with the officials.
DeRozan scored 18 points before being kicked out with about 3 minutes left. He made a layup that cut the lead to 10397 but was unhappy that a foul wasn't called on the play and began yelling at the officials. He was quickly given a technical but kept jawing and was given a second one and ejected from the game.