OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Stephen Curry just shrugged and grinned as he kept lighting up the floor, scoring 51 points and finishing with 11 3-pointers in only three quarters of the Golden State Warriors’ 144-122 victory over the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night.
Kevin Durant added 30 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, and Draymond Green had 11 of his 12 assists in the first half to help two-time defending champions finish with 37 after dishing out 35 assists in a 20-point victory against Phoenix on Monday.
But this was all Curry’s show. No. 30 knocked down his 11th 3 of the night late in the third from 32 feet back and shrugged like no big deal whatsoever.
He scored 31 in the first half and finished with his sixth career 50-point game and made 10 or more 3s for the 10th time. The 51 points matched his most at Oracle Arena.
Bradley Beal bruised his sternum early then returned late in the first half and wound up with 23 points. Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 17 points off the bench for Washington.
JAZZ 100, ROCKETS 89
In Houston, Donovan Mitchell scored 38 points to lead Utah over Houston in a game James Harden left with tightness in his left hamstring.
Harden headed to the locker room midway through the third quarter and didn’t return. He missed seven games last season with a Grade 2 hamstring strain and said this was not the same type of injury as that one.
With Harden out of the game after the Rockets pulled within five, the Jazz regained control, scoring the next 10 points to make it 94-79 and cruise to the victory.
Harden scored 29 points and Carmelo Anthony had a season-high 22 for the Rockets. Chris Paul finished up a two-game suspension for his role in a fight with the Lakers last week, and fellow starter James Ennis sat out with a strained right hamstring.
LAKERS 131, SUNS 113
In Phoenix, Short-handed Los Angeles gave LeBron James his first victory as a Laker with the romp over Phoenix.
James flirted with what would have been his 74th career triple-double, finishing with 19 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds before sitting out the fourth quarter. Lance Stephenson had 23 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, and JaVale McGee added 20 points.
The Suns’ Devin Booker had 23 points, seven rebounds and seven assists but left in the third quarter with a strained left hamstring. No. 1 overall pick Deandre Ayton had 22 points and 11 rebounds.
RAPTORS 112, TIMBERWOLVES 105
In Toronto, Kawhi Leonard scored a season-high 35 points, Kyle Lowry had 13 points and 10 assists, and Toronto beat Minnesota to improve to 5-0 and match the best start in franchise history.
Jonas Valanciunas scored 16 points, Serge Ibaka had 15 and Norman Powell added a season-high 10. The Raptors also won five straight to start the 2015-16 season.
Toronto won its 15th straight home game against Minnesota, extending its franchise record for consecutive home victories over a single opponent.