Stephen Curry on Monday night scored 37 points and hit six three-pointers in three quarters as reigning champions the Golden State Warriors showed they still rule the west by routing the San Antonio Spurs 120-90.
Curry had 15 points in the opening quarter and shot 12 for 20 in Golden State’s 39th straight home win at raucous Oracle Arena, where a star-studded sellout crowd saw a lopsided showdown in what was billed as a potential Western Conference finals preview.
The Warriors (41-4) snapped a 13-game winning streak by the Spurs (38-7), off to the best start in franchise history, but without ailing Tim Duncan (sore knee) this time. The teams had the highest combined winning percentage in NBA history for opponents meeting at least 40 games into the season.
Photo: AFP
Chants of “M-V-P” came from every corner of the arena as Curry did it all for his highest-scoring total in 17 games against San Antonio.
Kawhi Leonard scored 16 for the sloppy Spurs.
CAVALIERS 114, TIMBERWOLVES 107
Photo: AP
In Cleveland, Ohio, LeBron James scored 25 points as Cleveland gave Tyronn Lue his first win as head coach by beating Minnesota.
Cleveland lost to Chicago on Saturday last week, a day after Lue replaced David Blatt, who was fired on Friday.
The Cavaliers struggled with the Timberwolves before going on a spurt that began late in the third quarter and carried over into the fourth.
Cleveland still had to hold off a run by the Timberwolves, who cut a 15-point lead to 94-91 midway through the fourth. Tristan Thompson scored seven straight points and Matthew Dellavedova hit a three-pointer, giving Cleveland a 104-91 lead.
Minnesota got within four, but the Cavaliers put the game away at the foul line.
Thompson had 19 points with 12 rebounds, and Dellavedova scored 18 points as Cleveland had six players in double figures.
Karl Anthony-Towns led Minnesota with 26 points and 11 rebounds.
ROCKETS 112, PELICANS 111
In New Orleans, James Harden scored 35 points and Trevor Ariza added a season-high 31 to help Houston beat short-handed New Orleans.
The Pelicans played the second half without All-Star forward Anthony Davis, who left late in the second quarter with a concussion after getting elbowed in the head by teammate Tyreke Evans.
Houston, who did not have center Dwight Howard for the third straight game due to a left ankle sprain, hit a season-best 19 three-pointers. Ariza connected on his first six three-pointers.
Jrue Holiday scored a season-high 32 points for the Pelicans, adding nine assists and six rebounds. He had a chance to win the game after New Orleans got the ball with 4.7 seconds left following a Houston shot-clock violation. Out of timeouts, the Pelicans had to go the length of the court, and Holiday’s contested 35-foot shot at the buzzer did not come close.
HEAT 89, BULLS 84
In Chicago, Dwyane Wade had 28 points and Chris Bosh added 18 as Miami rallied from an eight-point deficit early in the fourth quarter to beat Chicago, snapping a four-game losing streak.
Wade scored 10 points in the fourth period. He and Bosh combined for the last five points in the final 1 minute, 2 seconds as the Heat snapped an 84-84 tie.
Pau Gasol had 19 points and 17 rebounds to lead the Bulls. Jimmy Butler scored 13 on five-for-15 shooting.
Chicago, coming off a win at Cleveland on Saturday, have dropped three straight home games.
Bulls guard Derrick Rose did not play in the second half because of lower back and right hamstring injuries.
In other results, it was:
‧ Celtics 116, Wizards 91
‧ Grizzlies 108, Magic 102, OT
‧ Pistons 95, Jazz 92
‧ Hawks 119, Nuggets 105
‧ Hornets 129, Kings 128, 2OT
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