Record-setting first quarter lifts Warriors over Nuggets
DENVER —Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson each scored 31 points as the Golden State Warriors, propelled by an NBA-record, 51point first quarter, regained the top spot in the Western Conference by routing the Denver Nuggets 142-111 on Tuesday night.
Golden State cruised to a fifth straight win to move a half-game in front of the Nuggets, who had their 12game home winning streak snapped.
The showdown between the top two teams in the conference proved a little too big for the Nuggets, with Curry and Company putting on a shooting exhibition all night long. The clinic began early with the Warriors erupting for 51 points in the opening quarter, breaking the old mark of 50 held by several teams. The last time it happened was also against Denver when Phoenix scored 50 on Nov. 10, 1990.
Golden State shot a blistering 60 percent from the field, had 38 assists and hit 21 3-pointers in leading wire-to-wire. Kevin Durant finished with 27 points.
Malik Beasley finished with 22 points for the Nuggets.
76ERS 149 TIMBERWOLVES 107
Joel Embiid had 31 points and 13 rebounds, and host Philadelphia scored 83 points in the first half in a thrashing of Minnesota in Jimmy Butler’s first game against his former team.
The Sixers hit a team-record 21 3-pointers and reached their highest point total in the 22-year history of the Wells Fargo Center. It was the most points scored by Philadelphia since 1990.
Butler scored 19 points in the first meeting with Minnesota since it sent him to the 76ers in a package deal that brought forwards Robert Covington and Dario Saric in return. Covington and Saric were popular core pieces of Philadelphia’s Trust the Process rebuild and both received massive ovations from an appreciative crowd in tribute videos.
Ben Simmons had 20 points and 11 rebounds for the 76ers.
HAWKS 142, THUNDER 126
Trae Young had 24 points and 11 assists to win the showdown of current and former Atlanta point guards, leading the Hawks over Oklahoma City at Atlanta.
Former Hawks point guard Dennis Schroder scored 21 points for the Thunder in his return to Atlanta. John Collins made 12 of 14 shots from the field and led Atlanta with 26 points. Alex Len had 24 points and 11 rebounds.
Russell Westbrook led the Thunder with 31 points and 11 assists. Paul George had 24 points and Jerami Grant added 21.
BUCKS 124, HEAT 86
Giannis Antetokounmpo recorded a triple-double in 24 minutes, and six teammates finished in double figures in scoring as Milwaukee routed the visiting Heat.
Antetokounmpo had 12 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.
Eric Bledsoe had 17 points and Malcolm Brogdon added 16 for Milwaukee, which has won 13 of 16 dating to Dec. 14. The Bucks improved to 31-12, secondbest in the NBA.
Justise Winslow and Hassan Whiteside had 19 points apiece for Miami.
LAKERS 107, BULLS 100
Lonzo Ball had 19 points and six assists to lead host Los Angeles to victory.
Kyle Kuzma had 16 points and 12 rebounds for the Lakers, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 17 points.
Chicago received 18 points from Jabari Parker and 17 from Lauri Markkanen.
PACERS 131, SUNS 97
Bojan Bogdanovic scored 20 points and Indiana cruised at home.
Indiana got off to a hot start thanks to Bogdanovic, who scored the Pacers’ first 10 points. The Pacers doubled the Suns’ total in the first quarter, leading 38-19 at the end of the period.