NBA round-up: Steph Curry and Warriors send ‘good message’ as LeBron James suffers worst home defeat

The eagerly anticipated rematch between the reigning NBA champion Warriors and last year’s beaten finalists turned into a night to forget for James and the Cavaliers as Golden State ran riot in a 132-98 pummeling.

Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry, left, knocks the ball loose from Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBron James, centre, in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Jan. 18, 2016, in Cleveland. Andre Iguodala is at right. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)Show less

Los Angeles // Steph Curry scored 35 points as the Golden State Warriors dished out the heaviest home defeat of LeBron James' career with a 132-98 pummeling of the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday.

The eagerly anticipated rematch between the reigning NBA champion Warriors and last year's beaten finalists turned into a night to forget for James and the Cavaliers as Golden State ran riot.

Curry was tormentor-in-chief as he returned to the stadium where he helped the Warriors clinch last year’s NBA title.

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The silky-skilled 27-year-old point guard had reportedly angered certain Cavaliers players in the build-up by joking that he hoped the locker room “still smells a little bit like champagne.”

But any plans the Cavaliers had to make Curry regret his choice of words were torn up within a few minutes of the tip-off. The Warriors raced into an early lead and never looked back.

By the fourth quarter, the Cavaliers trailed by a mammoth 43 points -- the largest deficit James has faced at at any point in his 1,127-game career.

The 34-point loss was the heaviest margin of defeat James has suffered in a home defeat, according to ESPN Statistics.

The dominance of the Warriors proved too much for James at one point, with the superstar losing his composure in an off-the-ball tussle with Curry who ended up being grappled to the floor.

James finished with 16 points but his personal tally was an irrelevance on a night which finished with dejected Cavaliers fans leaving the Quicken Loans Arena well before the end.

Curry received able backing from Andre Iguodala with 20 points while Draymond Green chipped in with 16 points including 10 assists.

A satisfied Curry said the win would reminded the Warriors of their potential.

“It’s a good message that we sent to ourselves -- this is what we’re capable of,” Curry told ESPN.

“We bring the energy, we get the game to our pace, take care of the basketball, make shots and play well.

“We’ve got a high IQ on this team -- and we move the ball and look for the best shot on every possession. We’re tough to beat.”

The win saw the Warriors improve to 38-4 for the season while the Cavaliers went to 28-11.

HORNETS 124, JAZZ 119, 2 OT

Kemba Walker scored a franchise-record 52 points, powering Charlotte to the double-overtime win.

Walker made 16 of 34 shots from the field, including 6 of 11 3-pointers. He was 14 of 15 on free throws.

Walker broke the franchise mark of 48 points set by Glen Rice on March 6, 1997, in an overtime win against Boston.

Marvin Williams added 19 points for the Hornets, and Frank Kaminsky scored 17.

Gordon Hayward scored 36 points for Utah, which trailed 65-50 with 6:11 remaining in the third quarter. Trey Burke added 25 points.

KNICKS 119, 76ERS 113, 2 OT

Carmelo Anthony returned from a two-game absence and made a tying 3-pointer with 3.4 seconds left in regulation, and the Knicks beat the 76ers in two overtimes.

Anthony was just 7 for 28 from the field after sitting out two games with a sprained right ankle, but he made the most important shot he took, a 3-pointer from straight away over Nerlens Noel after the Knicks were on the verge of losing a game they led by 18 points in the third quarter.

They finally won it in the second extra period, sparked by two baskets and a blocked shot from reserve guard Langston Galloway.

Arron Afflalo led the Knicks with 25 points and Anthony had 19 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.

Philadelphia’s Ish Smith had 16 points and 16 assists.

RAPTORS 112, NETS 100

Kyle Lowry scored 13 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter, DeMar DeRozan scored 30 points and Toronto matched a season high with its fifth straight win.

Lowry had eight assists and hit three of his seven 3-pointers in the final quarter. The Raptors outscored Brooklyn 31-16 in the fourth.

Brook Lopez led Brooklyn with 29 points and 10 rebounds. The Nets have lost three straight and eight of their last nine.

The game featured eight lead changes and 11 ties. Toronto took a 103-98 lead with 5:48 left behind five straight points from Terrence Ross.

MAVERICKS 118, CELTICS 113, OT

Dirk Nowitzki scored 31 points for Dallas, and Deron Williams had 10 of his 20 points in overtime.

Dallas hit its first four 3-pointers to open overtime. The Mavericks rallied from a six-point fourth-quarter deficit after leading by 17 in the first half, and Nowitzki scored 14 points in the fourth and seven in overtime.

Isaiah Thomas and Marcus Smart led Boston with 20 points apiece. Avery Bradley had 19.

Jae Crowder, traded from Dallas to Boston last season, sent the game to overtime by hitting three free throws with 6.7 seconds left after being fouled by Raymond Felton.

TRAIL BLAZERS 108, WIZARDS 98

C.J. McCollum made six 3-pointers and scored 25 points, helping Portland rebound from its worst loss of the season.

Portland was up by 17 points in the first half, but Washington grabbed the lead in the third quarter. The Trail Blazers responded with a 23-1 run.

Meyers Leonard added 18 points for Portland, which lost 114-89 at lowly Philadelphia on Saturday. Damian Lillard scored 16 points, and Mason Plumlee had 10 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists.

Washington star John Wall was limited to nine points on 4-of-17 shooting. He had 36 points and 13 assists in Saturday’s 119-117 loss to Boston.

GRIZZLIES 101, PELICANS 99

Marc Gasol had 16 points and 10 rebounds, leading the balanced Grizzlies to the victory.

Matt Barnes, Jeff Green and Courtney Lee also had 16 points apiece for Memphis, which has won three in a row and five of six. Mike Conley added 15 points and 10 assists.

Lee converted a free throw with 3.5 seconds left. He missed the second one, but Gasol tapped the ball into the backcourt, and Barnes let it roll until time expired.

Jrue Holiday led the Pelicans with 23 points and nine assists. Anthony Davis had 21 points, eight rebounds and three blocks, and Ryan Anderson scored 14 points.

BULLS 111, PISTONS 101

Pau Gasol had 31 points and 12 rebounds, and Chicago won again without Joakim Noah.

Noah dislocated his left shoulder Friday and likely will miss the rest of the season, but the Bulls have had success without him. They improved to 9-2 in 2015-16 when he doesn’t play.

Ersan Ilyasova had 19 points and 11 rebounds for Detroit, which was outplayed after taking a 13-point lead in the first quarter. The Pistons also lost their cool, getting called for three technical fouls in the third. Detroit guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope received two of them and was ejected.

Derrick Rose had 20 points and Jimmy Butler added 16 for Chicago.

HAWKS 98, MAGIC 81

Al Horford scored 15 points, Paul Millsap had 13 points and 12 rebounds, and the Hawks earned their second straight win.

Atlanta had six players score in double figures and led the entire game. Jeff Teague had 14 points, and Mike Scott scored 12.

Aaron Gordon finished with 18 points and Elfrid Payton scored 16 for the Magic. Orlando was held to 34.5 percent shooting from the field, lowest this season for an Atlanta opponent.

The Magic have lost seven of eight.

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