Short-handed Warriors rein in Bulls
OAKLAND, California – Stephen Curry put on a thrilling display with 33 points to lead the Golden State Warriors over the Chicago Bulls 143-94 on a night Kevin Durant and Draymond Green were out.
Curry and Klay Thompson came to play Friday night with their fellow All-Stars out. Durant was sidelined the second time in three games with a sprained left ankle, while Green didn’t play for rest.
Curry found his stroke from way back and breezed past a 7-footer in the paint with authority. The two-time MVP notched his seventh career 30-point half and 21st 20-point quarter, when he scored 26 in the second as the Warriors matched their biggest half of the season with a 74-53 lead at intermission.
Steph was feeling it, all right, following up a deep 3 in the second quarter with a high-step shuffle and chest pat before waving his hands in the air for the crowd to join the fun. And with Green’s muscle flexing absent on this night, Curry drove left and over 7-foot Robin Lopez for a layup late in the second and was fouled. On the floor beneath the basket, he flexed his biceps in celebration.
He shot 10 for 18 with four 3-pointers, while Thompson added 29 points on 12-of-17 shooting with five 3s. Big man Zaza Pachulia had a season-best 11 points and career-high six assists.
In Boston, Kyrie Irving scored 17 of his 30 points in a blistering first half and Boston routed Orlando, 118-103.
One game after ending their streak of 16 consecutive victories, the Celtics scored 40 points in the first quarter and 73 by halftime – both season highs – to send the Magic to their seventh straight loss. Aron Baynes finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds, and Al Horford had 10 assists.
Still wearing a mask after breaking a bone in his face on Nov. 10, Irving was 9 for 15 from the floor and sank all 10 of his free throw attempts, many with the sold-out crowd chanting “M-V-P!”
Rozier had a career-high 23 points for Boston, which also topped its season high for points.
Jonathon Simmons scored 14 points for Orlando.
In Cleveland, LeBron James had 27 points, 16 rebounds and 13 assists, J.R. Smith made the tiebreaking free throw with 48 seconds left, and Cleveland extended its winning streak to seven with a 100-99 victory over Charlotte.
James had season highs in rebounds and assists in his 57th career triple-double. He’s 41-6 in the regular season against Charlotte and the Cavaliers have won 12 of 13, including eight straight against the Hornets.
Dwight Howard had 20 points and 13 rebounds for Charlotte. The Hornets are 1-8 on the road.
In Oklahoma City, Andre Drummond had 17 points and 14 rebounds and Detroit overcame a 15-point deficit to beat Oklahoma City, 99-98.
Russell Westbrook had his sixth tripledouble of the season for Oklahoma City with 27 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds. He missed a long 3-point attempt on the final possession to finish 1 of 10 from 3-point range and 10 of 29 from the field.
Carmelo Anthony had 20 points for Oklahoma City, and Paul George had 16.
In Minneapolis, Wayne Ellington scored 21 points and made six 3-pointers off the bench, Goran Dragic added 20 points and Miami had a season-best performance from behind the arc to beat Minnesota, 109-97.
In other NBA games, it was Hawks 116, Knicks 104; Pelicans 115, Suns 91; Nuggets 104, Grizzlies 92; Pacers 107, Raptors 104; Trail Blazers 127, Nets 125.