Stephen Curry on Monday endured his worst shooting night of the young season, but his Golden State Warriors still notched their eighth straight win — 109-95 over the Detroit Pistons.
The reigning NBA champions are the league’s only remaining unbeaten team, their 8-0 record just one shy of the club’s best start — a 9-0 run to open the 1960-1961 campaign, when the Warriors were based in Philadelphia.
Curry connected on just seven of 18 shots, finishing with 22 points — 12 short of his season average.
Photo: AP
The Warriors held a slim 80-76 lead when reserve forward Andre Iguodala sparked a Golden State spurt with a dunk.
Backup guard Leandro Barbosa and forward Harrison Barnes combined for 12 points in a 18-6 scoring run that saw the Warriors pull away.
The Warriors were buoyed by the return of Australian Andrew Bogut, playing his first game since suffering a concussion in the season opener on Oct. 27.
Bogut scored eight points and pulled down 11 rebounds, combining with center Festus Ezeli to harry and hinder Pistons center Andre Drummond all night.
“You have to give up stats for yourself,” Bogut said of sharing the task of defending Drummond, who was held to 14 points and 15 rebounds a night after scoring 29 with 27 rebounds against Portland.
The Warriors have a chance to improve to 9-0 today when they visit the Memphis Grizzlies, who were edged 94-92 by the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday.
Forward Blake Griffin led the Clippers with 24 points and 12 rebounds, while J.J. Redick had 16 points as Los Angeles held on in a frantic finish to end a two-game skid.
Point guard Chris Paul returned after missing Saturday’s loss to the Houston Rockets with a sore right groin, scoring 14 points.
A three-pointer by former Clippers forward Matt Barnes and a follow of a Barnes miss by Memphis point guard Mike Conley gave the Grizzlies a brief 81-80 lead with 4 minutes, 11 seconds left to play.
It was the first of a string of lead changes, with Griffin’s basket lifting the Clippers to a one-point lead less than a minute later.
Memphis had gone up by two when Redick’s three-pointer put the Clippers up again 87-86 with 55 seconds left.
Conley missed a three-pointer and Redick was fouled on a three-point attempt — making all three free throws to stretch the Los Angeles lead to 90-86.
Paul fouled Barnes on a three-pointer on the next possession and Barnes made all three free throws to again pull Memphis within a point with eight seconds left.
That was as close as the Grizzlies got as the teams traded fouls and free throws until the buzzer.
Emmanuel Mudiay, Denver’s 19-year-old rookie from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, scored a season-high 18 points and produced two key blocks in the final minutes to help the Nuggets hang on for a 108-104 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers.
“Emmanuel Mudiay, I think he grew up tonight,” Denver coach Michael Malone said of Mudiay, who opted to hone his skills in China rather than a US college before entering the NBA this season. “It has not been easy for him. I have been on him, but tonight I thought his growth in the fourth quarter of a close game, making the big plays that he made, having two big blocks [was impressive].”
Canadian guard Andrew Wiggins scored 33 points, including eight in the finishing stretch, as the Minnesota Timberwolves turned back an Atlanta rally for a 117-107 victory over the Hawks.
Minnesota were on the ropes after squandering a 34-point lead.
Atlanta took a 107-106 lead on a basket by forward Paul Millsap, but Wiggins — last season’s rookie of the year — converted a three-point play with three minutes remaining and Minnesota pulled away from there.
In other games, it was:
‧ Bulls 111, 76ers 88
‧ Spurs 106, Kings 88
‧ Pacers 97, Magic 84
US track and field athletes have about four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who say they do not need the Internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who wrote on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Former US Masters champion Zach Johnson was left embarrassed after a foul-mouthed response to ironic cheers from spectators after a triple bogey at Augusta National on Friday. Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, missed the cut after his three-over-par round of 75 left him on seven-over 151 for 36 holes, his six on the par-three 12th playing a big role in his downfall. Television footage showed Johnson reacting to sarcastic cheers and applause when he tapped in for the triple bogey by yelling: “Oh fuck off.” Such a response would be considered bad form in any golf tournament, but is particularly out of keeping
The sacred flame for the Paris Olympics was lit yesterday in Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the ancient Games, in a ceremony inspired by antiquity and marked by messages of hope amid multiple global crises. “In ancient times, the Olympic Games brought together the Greek city states, even — and in particular — during times of war and conflict,” International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said. “Today, the Olympic Games are the only event that brings the entire world together in peaceful competition. Then as now, the Olympic athletes are sending this powerful message — yes, it is possible to compete fiercely