Stephen Curry turned an offensive rebound into a three-point play to highlight a 10-point, fourth-quarter spurt as the Golden State Warriors outlasted the Oklahoma City Thunder 121-106 to tie the all-time NBA record for consecutive home wins Thursday night.
The Warriors’ second win over the Thunder in six days was their 44th in a row at Oracle Arena, allowing them to match the record set by the Chicago Bulls from March 30, 1995, to April 4, 1996.
The win also capped a three-game, season-series sweep for the Warriors (55-5) over the Thunder (42-20). Those games included a 121-118 Warriors win in overtime at Oklahoma City on Saturday.
As was the case last week, the Thunder held a fourth-quarter lead before the Warriors, who have recorded the best record in NBA history through 59 games, rallied.
The Warriors, who trailed by as many as nine in the third quarter and were down 83-82 entering the final period, took the lead for good on backup guard Shaun Livingston’s two free throws in the first minute of the final quarter.
The advantage was just 99-97 before Draymond Green scored from the interior with 5:47 left, triggering the game-breaking, 10-0 run.
Curry’s key play came after backcourt mate Klay Thompson had misfired on a 3-point attempt.
The NBA’s reigning Most Valuable Player grabbed the rebound, circled back to the top of the key before changing directions and using an Andrew Bogut screen to get to the rim for a layup on which he was fouled.
His successful free throw completed the three-point play, pushing the Golden State lead to 106-97 and setting the stage for a runaway finish.
Curry finished with a game-high 33 points for the Warriors, who have won seven in a row. Almost half his points came on five 3-pointers, although it took him 15 attempts to get them.
Thompson added 21 points on 10-for-19 shooting, and Green contributed 14 points, eight rebounds and seven assists to Golden State’s fifth consecutive home win over the Thunder.
Kevin Durant had 32 points and Russell Westbrook 22 for the Thunder, but each had more than his usual fair share of problems.
Durant, who also found time for 10 rebounds and nine assists, committed nine turnovers.
Westbrook, meanwhile, hit only eight of his 24 shots, including one of eight from 3-point range.
Serge Ibaka added 20 points for the Thunder, who were playing their second game in two nights.
The loss was the sixth in its past eight games for Oklahoma City, which blew a 22-point lead in their Wednesday defeat against the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Warriors trailed 80-71 with 4:52 remaining in the third quarter before beginning a comeback by holding the Thunder to three points the rest of the period to get within 83-82.
Golden State then opened the fourth quarter with 13 points on its first six possessions to pull into a 95-87 lead. Backup centre Marreese Speights had a 3-pointer in the run.
A three-point play by Westbrook at the 6:02 mark got the Thunder back within 99-97, before Golden State took command for good with its decisive spurt.
After a first half that featured 13 lead changes and 13 ties, the Thunder surged to its biggest lead of the game – 80-71 – on the strength of two third-quarter runs.
Ibaka had a hand in each.
He broke a 63-all tie with a pair of hoops, igniting a 7-2 burst that opened a 70-65 advantage with 7:48 remaining in the period.
After Golden State closed within one, the Thunder countered immediately with a 10-2 flurry, this one capped by an Ibaka 3-pointer that produced a nine-point lead at the 4:52 m
© Reuters
