Warriors beat Kings for sixth straight win
OAKLAND — Stephen Curry had 27 points, seven rebounds and a season-high 12 assists, and the Golden State Warriors beat the Sacramento Kings 114-100 on Friday night.
Draymond Green added a seasonbest 23 points with eight assists, while Ian Clark scored 10 points to help the Warriors improve to an NBA-best 58-14. Golden State has won six straight since its seasonhigh three-game losing streak.
Both teams struggled offensively most of the game until the Warriors hit stride and pulled away in the second half.
Curry and Klay Thompson — Golden State’s Splash Brothers — went a combined 12 of 32 from the floor. Curry missed six of his first eight shots beyond the arc before making three in the final period.
Buddy Hield scored a career-high 22 points with eight rebounds and seven assists, while Ty Lawson scored 20 for Sacramento. The Kings have lost four straight and are 3-12 since trading leading scorer and rebounder DeMarcus Cousins to New Orleans during the All-Star break.
Golden State’s fifth consecutive lopsided win came at the start of a favorable home stretch for coach Steve Kerr’s team. The Warriors increased their lead to 2 1/2 games over San Antonio for the best record in the NBA, and play seven of their final 10 regular-season games at Oracle Arena.
Green’s night salvaged a mostly sloppy game by both teams. The Warriors and Kings combined for 34 turnovers and 31 fouls. Golden State also let a 20-point lead in the third quarter get cut to 11 at 99-88 early in the fourth before pulling away for its 14th win in the last 15 games between the teams.
Tip-ins — Kings: Sacramento’s 21 turnovers were one shy of their season high, set against the Lakers on Dec. 12 . ... Tyreke Evans, Darren Collison and Anthony Tolliver were given a planned day off.
Warriors: Kerr has 198 career wins as the Warriors coach . ... Kevin Durant (knee) will accompany the team on its upcoming trip to San Antonio before being reevaluated by doctors on Wednesday. “He’s doing quite well,” Kerr said. Durant received a thunderous ovation from the Oracle crowd when he was shown on the scoreboard in the third quarter . ... Golden State ended the first quarter on a 16-4 run, highlighted by Shaun Livingston’s backcourt steal and behind-the-back bounce pass to Green for a layup.
Up next — Kings: Travel to play the Clippers on Sunday afternoon. Sacramento has lost two of three against Los Angeles this season.
Warriors: Host Memphis on Sunday. Golden State dropped the first two games against the Grizzlies earlier this season before a 122-107 road win on Feb. 10.