Towel around his neck, Stephen Curry raised both arms and pointed to the crowd with appreciation.
Curry and Steve Kerr realize the importance of small steps on the way to deep post-season runs and hanging championship banners.
One down. Many important victories still ahead in Golden State’s quest to three-peat.
Photo: Kyle Terada-USA Today
Curry on Sunday scored 25 points with five three-pointers as the Warriors beat Charlotte 137-90 to clinch their fifth straight Pacific Division title and hand the Hornets their worst loss of the season.
“Obviously, when you’re scoring like we were tonight it’s fun for everybody, no matter who’s finishing the possessions,” Curry said.
Splash Brother Klay Thompson scored Golden State’s initial nine points and finished with 24 and six three-pointers on a night Kerr could give his regulars a rest and better prepare the backups for the playoffs with more minutes.
Curry and Thompson combined to shoot 11 of 17 from deep and 17 of 30 overall.
Kevin Durant contributed 11 points and nine assists.
Curry has made five or more three-pointers in a career-best eight straight games. He has 335 so far, his second-most in a season behind the NBA-record 402 he hit in 2015-2016.
The Warriors took charge from the opening tip and took it to the Hornets as the two-time defending champions returned to the court for the first time since a 131-130 overtime loss at Minnesota on Friday last week in which Golden State took exception to multiple late calls.
Warriors center DeMarcus Cousins, who had 24 points and 11 rebounds in a 121-110 win at Charlotte on Feb. 25, was ejected with 6 minutes, 9 seconds left in the second quarter for a flagrant 2 foul against Willy Hernangomez.
Cousins scored eight points and blocked three shots in 11 minutes.
Kerr said Cousins inadvertently hit Hernangomez in the head with a closed fist trying to box him out, but “there wasn’t any malice intended.”
Hernangomez scored 22 points — 14 on free throws — for the Hornets, who lost 129-115 on at the Lakers on Friday last week.
“I didn’t see any fight out there tonight,” Hornets coach James Borrego said. “We gave into their offense tonight... We made mistakes. We left Curry alone a few times and you can’t do that.”
Charlotte’s leading scorer Kemba Walker was held to nine points in his third game of the season not reaching double figures.
Also on Sunday, it was:
‧ Mavericks 106, Thunder 103
‧ Hawks 136, Bucks 135, OT
‧ Lakers 130, Pelicans 102
‧ Wizards 95, Nuggets 90
‧ Kings 113, Spurs 106
‧ Clippers 113, Grizzlies 96
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Taiwanese judoka Yang Yung-wei on Saturday won silver in the men’s under-60kg category at the Asian Judo Championships in Hong Kong. Nicknamed the “judo heartthrob” in Taiwan, the Olympic silver-medalist missed out on his first Asian Championships gold when he lost to Japanese judoka Taiki Nakamura in the finals. Yang defeated three opponents on Saturday to reach the final after receiving a bye through the round of 32. He first topped Laotian Soukphaxay Sithisane in the round of 16 with two seoi nage (over-the-shoulder throws), then ousted Indian Vijay Kumar Yadav in the quarter-finals with his signature ude hishigi sankaku gatame (triangular armlock). He
Rafael Nadal on Wednesday said the upcoming French Open would be the moment to “give everything and die” on the court after his comeback from injury in Barcelona was curtailed by Alex de Minaur. The 22-time Grand Slam title winner, back playing this week after three months on the sidelines, battled well, but eventually crumbled 7-5, 6-1 against the world No. 11 from Australia in the second round. Nadal, 37, who missed virtually all of last season, is hoping to compete at the French Open next month where he is the record 14-time champion. The Spaniard said the clash with De Minaur was
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