Warriors snap slump with big win over Bulls
>>LOS ANGELES: Golden State busted out of a slump with their most lopsided victory of the NBA season on Friday, the Warriors continuing their mastery over Chicago by clobbering the Bulls 138-96 at the United Center.
Andrew Wiggins finished with a team-high 21 points and Stephen Curry delivered 19 as the Warriors rebounded from a 118-99 loss to the defending champions Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday.
The loss to the Bucks was the Warriors’ fourth in their last five games.
“If you’re a good team, good things usually happen and you can usually bounce back,” Curry said. “I just like the way we responded.”
Rookie Jonathan Kuminga finished with 25 points and Jordan Poole scored 22 for the Warriors, who pulled away early to win their 10th consecutive game over the Bulls, including five straight in Chicago.
Already down a starting forward with Derrick Jones sidelined with a hyper-extended right knee, Chicago lost All-Star Zach LaVine early in the game after he injured his right knee.
LaVine pulled himself from the game by committing an intentional foul. He appeared to injure the knee moments earlier while going for a rebound.
Nikola Vucevic had 19 points and 14 rebounds, Coby White added 20 points, and DeMar DeRozan scored 17 for the Bulls, who were booed off the court on Friday trailing 78-47 at the half. They suffered their worst loss of the season.
The Warriors played without Klay Thompson, who was resting. Thompson is returning from a serious injury so coach Steve Kerr doesn’t want to use him in back-to-back games.
Thompson has played in three games after returning from a 2½-year absence with a torn ACL and an injury to his Achilles tendon.
In Memphis, Luka Doncic recorded his fourth triple double of the season as the Dallas Mavericks stopped the Memphis Grizzlies franchise-record win streak at 11 games with a 112-85 victory.
Doncic posted 27 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists for his 40th career triple-double.
Tim Hardaway Jr scored 16 points, Jalen Brunson contributed 15 points, nine assists for Dallas.
Ja Morant poured in 19 points and dished out eight assists as Memphis lost for the first time since falling 113-104 to the Golden State Warriors on Dec 23.
Elsewhere, Joel Embiid carried the load offensively for Philadelphia, scoring 25 points and grabbing 13 rebounds as the 76ers beat the Boston Celtics 111-99. AFP
RESULTS (home team in CAPS)
Orlando 116 CHARLOTTE 109; DETROIT 103 Toronto 87; Phoenix 112 INDIANA 94; PHILADELPHIA 111 Boston 99; Golden State 138 CHICAGO 96; MIAMI 124 Atlanta 118; Cleveland 114 SAN ANTONIO 109; SACRAMENTO 126 Houston 114; Dallas 112 MEMPHIS 85