Curry stars for GSW
Credit to Author: Tempo Online| Date: Mon, 24 Dec 2018 15:00:21 +0000
Lifts Warriors past Clippers with last-second layup
LAST-GASP BASKET: Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry scores the final basket as the Warriors slipped past the LA Clippers, 129-127. (AP)
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) – Steph Curry made a layup with 0.5 seconds left and the Golden State Warriors outlasted the Los Angeles Clippers, 129-127 in an emotionally charged game Sunday night.
Curry had 42 points to tie his second-highest scoring output of the season. He also got the last laugh after he exchanged heated words with Clippers guard Patrick Beverley in the first quarter.
The Clippers’ Avery Bradley tied it at 127 with a dunk with 20.6 seconds remaining. On the next possession, Curry had Montrezl Harrell on him at the top of the key, drove down the middle of the lane and converted the layup off the glass for the winner.
Tobias Harris missed a shot as time expired, giving the Warriors their eighth victory in 10 games.
Kevin Durant added 35 points for Golden State to help offset the Clippers’ 78-percent (18 of 23) 3-point shooting. Harris led Los Angeles with 32 points, and Lou Williams added 25.
CELTICS 119, HORNETS 103
In Boston, Kyrie Irving scored 25 points, Jayson Tatum had 17 and Boston beat Charlotte to end a three-game skid.
Al Horford returned after missing seven games with a sore left knee and had 10 points and six rebounds in 19 minutes. Marcus Morris had 12 points and eight rebounds.
Boston was coming off a 120-107 loss at home to Milwaukee on Friday, which prompted a closed-door meeting in the locker room. The Celtics came out Sunday looking much more like the team that had won eight straight before the skid.
The Celtics never trailed, shot 50 percent and outrebounded the Hornets 47-37.
Kemba Walker led Charlotte with 21 points.
WOLVES 114, THUNDER 112
In Oklahoma City, Andrew Wiggins scored 30 points and hit the go-ahead layup with 14 seconds left in Minnesota’s victory over Oklahoma City.
Karl-Anthony Towns added 18 points, and Robert Covington had 13.
Oklahoma City’s Paul George scored 31 points, but missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer that would have won it. Russell Westbrook had 23 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists.
NETS 111, SUNS 103
In New York, Spencer Dinwiddie scored 24 points, D’Angelo Russell had 18 points, eight assists and six rebounds, and Brooklyn beat weary Phoenix.
The Suns, with a short turnaround after a 149-146 triple-overtime loss in Washington a night earlier, dropped their second straight after a four-game winning streak.
Rookie Rodions Kurucs from Latvia added 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Nets. They bounced back from a loss to Indiana on Friday to win for the eighth time in nine games.
HEAT 115, MAGIC 91
In Orlando, Tyler Johnson scored 20 of his 25 points in the third quarter and Miami beat Orlando to give Erik Spoelstra his 500th coaching victory.
Justise Winslow added 22 points and Josh Richardson finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds for Miami.
Spoelstra, Miami’s coach since the 2008-09 season, has a career record of 500-336 and has won two NBA titles. Evan Fournier scored 17 points for the Magic.