OAKLAND, Calif. (Sporting Alert) — Stephen Curry scored 28 points and Draymond Green added a career-high 24, and the Golden State Warriors beat the Los Angeles Clippers 121-104 for their fourth win in a row and stayed undefeated on the season.
Curry also dished out seven assists and six rebounds for the Warriors (4-0), while Green pulled down eight rebounds and had five assists in the victory. Klay Thompson, who picked up two early fouls, scored 19 points for Golden State.
“It was very intense,” said new coach Steve Kerr, who is the first coach in franchise history to start his career with a 4-0 record.
“We have such an incredible crowd; it’s electric in this building.
“When we get moving, like we did tonight, we get a lot of momentum, and we should use that momentum and noise in our favor.
“Our guys were ready. They brought the energy, and so did our crowd.”
Jamal Crawford paced the Clippers (3-2) with 24 points off the bench, DeAndre Jordan added 17 points and 13 rebounds and Chris Paul finished with 15 points, 12 assists and four steals for the Clippers, which never recovered from their slow start.
“I saw a beautiful game from one team,” Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. “They are a better team right now and by a lot.”
Golden State, which scored 65 first half points, shot 60 percent from long range, 58 percent from the floor as a team and knocked-down 20-of-20 from the free throw line in the rout.
“Our first-half defense, that was beautiful,” said Warriors’ said Kerr.
“Draymond was playing Blake (Griffin) tough in the post. Guys were flying to the ball, covering for each other, getting out on their 3-point shooters.
“Except for the turnovers, I like what we did on offense. But the best part of the game was our first-half defense.”
Griffin had 14 points in the defeat for the LA Clippers and J.J. Redick added 12.
THE CAVS DROP ANOTHER
Meanwhile, at the EnergySolutions Arena in Salt Lake City, Gordon Hayward hit a buzzer-beating game-winning jumper and the Utah Jazz stunned LeBron James the Cleveland Cavaliers 102-100.
Hayward, who finished with 21 points in the game, made the step-back 21-foot jumper to win the game for the Jazz, after James had scored three free throws to tied the scores at 100-100 with 0:03 seconds left on the clock.
The small forward, who was scoring 20-plus points for the third successive game, was full of emotions after hitting the winning basket.
“I’ve never really done that before,” Hayward said. “It was just one of those moments.
“But how can you not show emotion after a finish like that?
“For us to win the game after being in control the whole game and then see it slipping away, it was pretty special. Just exhilaration!”
Derrick Favors also scored 21 points and 10 rebounds for Utah (2-3), with Enes Kanter adding 18 points.
Kyrie Irving had 34 points, James finished with 31 and Kevin Love added 14 for the Cavaliers (1-3), which dropped back-to-back games.
Utah controlled the game for most of the way and even led by as many as 16 points before Cleveland made a run to cut the gap.
“It’s tough. You work hard to get back and once again we dug ourselves a hole,” James said. “We came out and didn’t defend like we did in the second half.
“You dig yourself a hole and it’s kind of like the karma of the game.”
HEAT LOSE AGAIN…
Miami coach Erik Spoelstra warned that their good start to the season could turn with one defeat and he seems to have hit the nail right on the head after the Heat suffered its second defeat in two nights.
Al Jefferson finished a game and season-high 28 points and pulled in 10 rebounds for the Charlotte Hornets to beat Miami 96-89 at Time Warner Cable Arena.
Dwyane Wade scored 25 points and seven assists and Chris Bosh added 23 points and 13 rebounds in the defeat for the Heat.
The Memphis Grizzlies (5-0) also continued their undefeated start to the season, following a 102-91 victory over Phoenix Suns (3-2), which secured their fifth successive win on the term.
NBA SCORES AND RESULTS
Memphis Grizzlies 102 (5-0), Phoenix Suns 91 (3-2)
Golden State Warriors 121 (4-0), Los Angeles Clippers 104 (3-2)
Chicago Bulls 95 (4-1), Milwaukee Bucks 86 (2-3)
Sacramento Kings 131 (4-1), Denver Nuggets 109 (1-3)
Toronto Raptors 110 (4-1), Boston Celtics 107 (1-3)
Washington Wizards 96 (4-1), Indiana Pacers 94 (1-4) OT
San Antonio Spurs 94 (2-1), Atlanta Hawks 92 (1-2)
Minnesota Timberwolves 98 (2-2), Brooklyn Nets 91 (2-2)
Utah Jazz 102 (2-3), Cleveland Cavaliers 100 (1-3)
Charlotte Hornets 96 (2-3), Miami Heat 89 (3-2)
Detroit Pistons 98 (1-3), New York Knicks 95 (2-3)
Orlando Magic 91 (1-4), Philadelphia 76ers 89 (0-5)
