OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) – The Golden State Warriors hardly expect to fix every flaw in one night.
Beating Denver in dominant fashion certainly provided a positive first step. The two-time defending champions showed some of that swagger again.
“Pride,” coach Steve Kerr said.
Klay Thompson returned from a two-game absence to score 39 points with nine 3-pointers, and the Warriors bounced back from their worst loss of the season to beat the Nuggets, 122-105, on Friday night in a matchup of the top two teams in the Western Conference.
Thompson sat out that embarrassing 128-95 home defeat Tuesday night to the Celtics, the worst at Oracle Arena in Kerr’s five seasons, because of soreness in his right knee. He then scored 27 points in the first half Friday and wound up 9 of 11 from deep.
Having him back meant a lot, and everybody else brought their best, too.
Kevin Durant added 26 points and six assists, and Stephen Curry scored 17 points. DeMarcus Cousins had a strong outing on both ends with 13 points, six rebounds, six assists, six blocked shots and three steals.
Golden State played with a purpose again, an edge that hadn’t been seen much the past month.
With the Warriors on a two-game home losing streak, they didn’t let Denver get into the game for any significant stretch – much like a 142-111 road win against the Nuggets in January.
ROCKETS 107, 76ERS 91
In Houston, James Harden had 31 points and 10 rebounds and the Houston Rockets extended their winning streak to a season-high seven games with a 107-91 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night.
The Rockets had a big lead for most of the night after a 37-point first quarter and were up by 22 entering the fourth. Philadelphia had trouble containing Clint Capela with Joel Embiid out for the eighth straight game with a sore left knee, and Houston’s big man had 18 points and nine rebounds.
The victory came after Philadelphia won the first meeting this season 121-93 behind 32 points from Embiid.
