The Warriors featured a balanced attack led by Draymond Green’s second triple-double in as many games – 13 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds_the first Warrior to accomplish that feat since Wilt Chamberlain in 1964.
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The win was Golden State’s 22nd straight in the regular season, extending to the last four games of the 2014-15 season.
Make it an 18-0 start for the Warriors, 22 straight wins over two seasons, 10 for the last 10 against the Sacramento Kings, and perhaps most important at the moment, 1-0 without starting mainstay Harrison Barnes.
Elsewhere, LeBron James made a running hook shot with a second left and scored 26 points, giving Cleveland a 90-88 victory over Brooklyn.
Timberwolves: Minnesota did not score any fast-break points and committed 18 turnovers….
_Yet another number to chase: If the Warriors win three more games, they will eclipse the best start by any team among the four major professional sports. The Maroons won the championship that season.
After shooting better than 50 percent from the field in the first half and taking a 52-48 lead over the Mavericks into halftime, the Nuggets couldn’t buy a bucket in the third quarter. Rudy Gay usually steps up and pours on the points, but he shot just one of 13 for his two points which was pretty shocking as he poured in 36 points just a couple nights earlier against the Bucks. With the loss, Sacramento falls to 6-11 on the season and 4-6 at home.
The Kings have won two straight without Cousins only once in the past four seasons, and that’s when they dispatched the 61-loss Los Angeles Lakers in the final two contests of last season.
Joseph made a 3-pointer at the buzzer following a well-worked inbounds play, lifting the Raptors an 84-82 victory over the Washington Wizards on Saturday night.
“To be considered legitimate in this league, you’ve got to get.500”, coach Sam Mitchell said after the Timberwolves (8-8) did just that, beating the Sacramento Kings 101-91 at Sleep Train Arena on Friday.
Cousins’ lower back strain will cause him to miss his third consecutive game Saturday. That’s particularly true since things are moving from the capital to the bay this time around and it’s more likely to be Sacramento which is handicapped a key player even if it seems on paper the Warriors could spare Klay Thompson the trouble.
Rajon Rondo had 16 points and 16 assists for Sacramento. His overall numbers this season are incredible, as he’s averaging 12.8 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.1 assists. Kings coach George Karl listed injured C DeMarcus Cousins (strained lower back) as “hopeful” for Monday’s home game against Dallas.
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Behind the leadership of birthday boy Leandro Barbosa, the defense clamped down in the second, allowing only 17 in the period.
