Warriors defeat Clippers for ninth straight time
LOS ANGELES -- For the ninth consecutive time, the Golden State Warriors defeated the Los Angeles Clippers.
Stephen Curry scored 29 points and handed out 11 assists, and Kevin Durant almost recorded a triple-double, sparking the Warriors to a 133-120 victory over the Clippers on Thursday night at Staples Center.
Durant collected 26 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds for the Warriors (43-7), who won their fifth in a row and 12th in the past 13 games. Klay Thompson had 21 points as seven Warriors reached double figures. Andre Iguodala scored 13 points, while Ian Clark and JaVale McGee finished with 11 points apiece
Curry's lone 3-pointer in the first half allowed him to become the first NBA player to hit 200 or more from long distance in five straight seasons. Curry has 202 3-pointers this season. He connected on 11 of 23 shots from the floor and 3 of 10 from 3-point range.
Blake Griffin had 31 points and eight rebounds for the Clippers (31-19), who dropped five of their last seven contests. Jamal Crawford added 21 points, Austin Rivers scored 18 and J.J. Redick chipped in 17 for the Clippers.
The Warriors prevailed despite being without Draymond Green (left shoulder contusion), Zaza Pachulia (right rotator cuff strain), Shaun Livingston (back strain) and David West (left thumb fracture).
Clippers point guard Chris Paul missed his seventh game since undergoing surgery on his left thumb Jan. 18. The Clippers are 2-5 without Paul.
The Warriors led by as much as 21 in the second half before the Clippers made a run late. A 3-pointer by Crawford pulled Los Angeles within 124-117 with 1:54 remaining, but back-to-back treys by Durant and Thompson sealed the outcome for Golden State.
Durant's 17 first-half points helped stake Golden State to a 65-55 lead at the break. The Warriors took advantage of the Clippers on the glass, outrebounding them 24-12, including an 11-4 edge on the offensive end in the first half.
For the game, the Warriors grabbed 46 rebounds to 37 for the Clippers. The Warriors finished with 15-7 on the offensive end.
Golden State had 38 assists to 24 for Los Angeles.
NOTES: Warriors coach Steve Kerr said the club decided to be cautious and hold out F Draymond Green (left shoulder contusion), who was hurt in the third quarter of Wednesday's victory over the Charlotte Hornets. "He'll take tonight off. Obviously, we have a day off (Friday) and we'll see how he's doing," Kerr said. ... Clippers G Jamal Crawford was 5 for 8 from 3-point range, giving him 1,996 in his career. ... The Warriors shot 50 percent from the field or better and recorded 30 or more assists in 23 games this season, winning all of them. ... The Warriors visit the Sacramento Kings on Saturday. The Clippers begin a five-game swing against the Celtics on Sunday in Boston.