Curry poured in 30 points in his most extensive effort in more than a week, and back-court mate Klay Thompson hit the two biggest shots of the night to ignite a third-quarter pull-away, helping the Warriors outlast the Charlotte Hornets 111-101. Stephen Curry’s left shin scare was just that, Harrison Barnes has returned with a flourish, Klay Thompson is on a very nice roll of games, Draymond Green is still triple-doubling, and even Marreese Speights is starting to show flashes of Mo Buckets form.
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Kobe Bryant sat out his third straight game with a sore right shoulder for the Lakers, whose three-game winning streak ended in Golden State’s 33rd win in 35 games.
The Charlotte Hornets (17-16) are set to take on the Golden State Warriors (31-2) who are the best team in the National Basketball Association so far this season.
The downside for the 33-2 Warriors was that while doing so, Stephen Curry continues to find it hard to shake off his lower left leg injury.
“It’s just frustrating and annoying and all of the other adjectives that you want to throw in there”. “Long term, it’s not something that I have to worry about”. Barnes, meanwhile, played 20 minutes and scored eight points after missing the previous 16 games with a severe left ankle sprain and bone bruise suffered November 27 at Phoenix.
According to Simmons, Curry told reporters after Tuesday’s win that the leg injury will take four weeks to completely heal but that he’s “not sitting out four weeks”. Afterwards interim head coach Luke Walton, whose team is now 33-2, was asked about his decision to re-insert Curry in the fourth quarter.
“Nothing surprises me with him”, Walton said of Curry.
The Hornets, meanwhile, only the 18th-most accurate in the league when it comes to shooting 3-pointers (34.6 percent), misfired on 14 of 21.
Draymond Green might not be the highest scorer on his team or the most athletic, but you can be sure the former Michigan State star will give his full effort night in and night out for the Golden State Warriors. Rookie guard D’Angelo Russell sat out with a sore throat, missing a game for the first time in his career.
“I’ll keep treating it and keep playing”, Curry said.
San Antonio’s Kawhi Leonard scored 10 of his 24 points in the decisive third quarter to guide the Spurs to a 123-98 win at Milwaukee.
“If him and the trainers both say he’s good to go then we’ll play him”, Walton said. This game wasn’t ideal, by any means, but when Charlotte made a third-quarter run to get within 66-65 on Jeremy Lin’s 3-pointer with 8:56 to go, something clicked. Miami won its third consecutive game.
Jordan Clarkson scored 23 points for the Lakers.
Thompson has quietly found his way back into the All-Star conversation, and the timing couldn’t be any better as the halfway mark of the season quickly approaches.
Kristaps Porzingis had 17 points and 11 rebounds for NY.
Golden State will embark on a three-game road trip to face the Lakers, Blazers and Kings, before returning to host the Heat next Monday at Oracle.
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“I thought the second quarter, we seemed to kind of settle down”, said Coach Byron Scott. The hometown product has struggled for much of the season….
