Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr often reminds his players the morning of a big game that they better be ready for a tough test that night.
Regardless of the opponent, his team seems to deliver almost every time.
The NBA-leading Warriors responded to the challenge again Monday night, getting contributions from all over and using a smothering defensive effort to rout the Oklahoma City Thunder 117-91.
“Coach always comes in and says, ‘Hey, this team’s pretty good’,” said Warriors forward Draymond Green, who had 11 points and 13 rebounds. “Every time we break the huddle, I’ll be like, ‘Hey, we’re pretty good, too’.”
Harrison Barnes scored a season-high 23 points and grabbed seven rebounds, and Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry scored 19 points each as the Warriors (27-5) bottled up Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and the rest of the Thunder.
Golden State held Oklahoma City to 30.6 per cent shooting, including 5-for-28 from three-point range.
“I just think we’re in a good groove,” Kerr said.
The rejuvenated Thunder (17-18) missed a chance to move above .500 for the first time this season.
Westbrook scored 22 points, and Durant had 14 points and 10 rebounds on a night when everything seemed to be a struggle. The Warriors led by 20 at half-time and never let the Thunder get close after that.
Durant shot 3-of-16, and Westbrook finished 5-for-21 from the floor
“We didn’t play well tonight, there’s no way around it. They outplayed us. They’re the best team in basketball,” Thunder coach Scott Brooks said.
Help is on the way for Oklahoma City and their all-star tandem.
The Thunder acquired shooting guard Dion Waiters from Cleveland in a three-team trade that was announced during the game. Oklahoma City sent the Cavaliers a protected 2015 first-round draft pick and moved reserve Lance Thomas to the New York Knicks.
The Warriors, meanwhile, continue to set the league pace regardless of whether they’re at full strength.
They extended the best start in franchise history – even with centres Andrew Bogut (right knee) and Festus Ezeli (left ankle) out – by shutting down an Oklahoma City team that had been surging since Westbrook and Durant returned from injuries.
Thompson made his first four shots and scored 13 points in the first 3 1/2 minutes, pleasing the white shirt-wearing sellout crowd of 19,596. But Thompson, Curry and Green all picked up two fouls and went to the bench before the end of the first quarter to stall the momentum.
At least for a little while.
Durant, who scored 30 points in the first half of a loss at Golden State on December 18 before spraining his right ankle, missed his first seven shots. The rest of the Thunder struggled to sustain a rhythm as the small-ball Warriors switched every pick-and-roll and used their pace-and-space offence to pull away.
“Give them credit, but we missed some shots as well,” Durant said.
Golden State led 65-45 at half-time – with everybody from Curry and Thompson to Barnes and Justin Holiday coming up big – and never let the Thunder seriously threaten in the second half.
Holiday finished with 12 points for the Warriors, who shot 46.6 per cent. Golden State have won four in a row.
AROUND THE NBA
Mavericks 96 (26-10), Nets 88 (16-18) OT
Dirk Nowitzki made a clinching three-pointer in overtime that moved him into seventh place on the NBA’s career scoring list, and the Dallas Mavericks beat the Brooklyn Nets 96-88 on Monday night to match their season high with a sixth straight victory.
Monta Ellis scored 19 points and made a pair of jumpers early in overtime before consecutive three-pointers by Chandler Parsons and Nowitzki made it 96-88 with 34 seconds to play. That gave Nowitzki 15 points for the game and 27,412 in his career, moving him past Moses Malone into the No 7 spot.
Rajon Rondo shot 1-of-13 for two points but had 14 assists and 10 rebounds for the Mavericks, who have the longest current winning streak in the NBA. Tyson Chandler finished with 14 points and 13 boards.
Brook Lopez had 22 points and 13 rebounds for the Nets but faded after an 18-point first quarter. Jarrett Jack had 20 points and 10 assists.
The Nets were without Deron Williams (sore left side) and Kevin Garnett, who rested on the second night of back-to-back games, and dropped their second straight after winning three in a row.
Bulls 114 (25-10), Rockets 105 (23-11)
Pau Gasol had 27 points and 14 rebounds, Jimmy Butler scored 22 and Chicago rallied for their 13th win in 15 games.
Derrick Rose added 19 points, Nikola Mirotic had 17 and the Bulls outscored the Rockets 19-5 over the final 3:19.
Josh Smith led Houston with 21 points. James Harden scored 20, but the Rockets lost for the fourth time in six games.
Butler scored five points and took a charge against Harden during the game-ending rally to help the Bulls wipe out a five-point deficit.
Mirotic also hit a three and scored five points during that stretch.
76ers 95 (5-28), Cavaliers 92 (19-16)
Tony Wroten scored 20 points and hit the go-ahead layup with 9.1 seconds left to lift Philadelphia over short-handed Cleveland.
Philadelphia had been 0-14 at home this season.
Kevin Love had 28 points and 19 rebounds for the Cavaliers, who didn’t have LeBron James and Kyrie Irving because of injuries. They lost Dion Waiters and two reserves shortly before tipoff because of a three-team trade with New York and Oklahoma City.
After the Cavaliers blew all of a 17-point lead, Love made it 92-90 with a pair of free throws with 1:09 left.
Wroten made one of two free throws, then scored the go-ahead layup to help the Sixers end their home-losing streak.
Michael Carter-Williams had 18 points and 13 assists for the Sixers.
Grizzlies 105 (25-9), Knicks 83 (5-32)
Mike Conley scored 14 of his 22 points in the third quarter, and Memphis sent depleted New York to their record-tying 12th straight loss.
The Knicks, who have the NBA’s worst winning percentage, lost for the 22nd time in 23 games.
New York played without injured starters Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire. The Knicks were also missing JR Smith and Iman Shumpert, who were traded to Cleveland.
Reserve forward Quincy Acy led the Knicks with 19 points, and Jose Calderon added 13.
The Grizzlies led by 11 at the half and pulled away in the third quarter. Courtney Lee scored all 11 of his points in the first seven minutes of the period.
Trail Blazers 98 (27-8), Lakers 94 (11-24)
Damian Lillard scored 39 points and made the go-ahead basket with 36 seconds remaining as Portland rallied from a 10-point deficit in the second half to beat Los Angeles.
Lillard hit four three-pointers, and scored 16 points during the fourth quarter to lead the Trail Blazers. He has scored at least 39 points in three of his past nine games.
LaMarcus Aldridge added 21 points, and reserve centre Meyers Leonard had 12 points and 12 rebounds for Portland.
Jordan Hill led Los Angeles with 23 points and 14 rebounds. Five Lakers scored in double figures, including Jeremy Lin with 14 points.
Kobe Bryant, the Lakers’ leading scorer at 23.6 points per game, stayed home for a scheduled day of rest.
Wizards 92 (23-11), Pelicans 85 (17-17)
John Wall had 15 points and 12 assists, and Washington ended their longest skid of the season at three games with a victory over New Orleans.
Paul Pierce scored 14 points on 6-of-8 shooting for the Wizards, who had five players in double figures. Andre Miller added 12 points, and Marcin Gortat and Kris Humphries each had 10.
Anthony Davis had 21 points and 10 rebounds for New Orleans, who led only once – by a single point in the first 4 minutes of the game.
Tyreke Evans, playing despite an illness that kept him out of the team’s shootaround earlier in the day, scored 21 points.
Pelicans guard Eric Gordon, returning from a left shoulder injury, played for the first time in 21 games, but scored only six points in 33 minutes.
Hornets 104 (12-24), Celtics 95 (11-21)
Kemba Walker scored 20 of his 33 points in the second half and Cody Zeller finished with a career-high 20 on a perfect shooting night, carrying Charlotte over Boston.
It was just the second win in seven games for the Hornets, who learned last week that leading scorer Al Jefferson will be sidelined for about three more weeks with a left groin injury.
Zeller went 8-for-8 from the floor, hit all four of his free throws and improved to 6-0 against his older brother Tyler, who plays for the Celtics. Tyler Zeller had two points in 16 minutes.
Walker added five assists and five rebounds.
Jared Sullinger led Boston with 22 points and eight rebounds. The Celtics have dropped three straight and seven of eight.
Nuggets 110 (15-20), Timberwolves 101 (5-28)
Arron Afflalo scored 34 points to help Denver hand Minnesota their 12th straight loss.
JJ Hickson had 16 points and 11 rebounds and the Nuggets shot 55 per cent to cruise past the Timberwolves, by far the worst team in the Western Conference. Jusuf Nurkic scored 14 points and Ty Lawson added 12 assists for the Nuggets, whose reserves outscored Minnesota’s 47-10.
Gorgui Dieng tied a career high with 22 points and grabbed 12 rebounds and Shabazz Muhammad added 19 points and six boards for Minnesota. The Timberwolves shot just 43 per cent and have not won since December 10 while playing without Ricky Rubio, Nikola Pekovic and Kevin Martin.
Pacers 105 (14-22), Jazz 101 (12-23)
Roy Hibbert scored 22 points to help Indiana outlast Utah.
Hibbert, who got into a skirmish with the Lakers’ Carlos Boozer in a one-point loss at Los Angeles on Sunday, again played with a fiery edge and repeatedly went over 7ft 1in Rudy Gobert for inside baskets before fouling out in the final minute.
Derrick Favors had 27 points and 11 rebounds and Gordon Hayward scored 24 for the Jazz, who were missing starting point guard Trey Burke (strep throat) and centre Enes Kanter (sprained ankle).
The Pacers led 98-90 with a minute remaining, but the Jazz nearly completed a furious comeback with a 39-point fourth quarter.
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