LOS ANGELES (AFP) – Stephen Curry scored 11 of his 33 points in the third quarter as the two-time defending champion Golden State Warriors clobbered the Oklahoma City Thunder 110-88 on Saturday.
“Over the course of the game we imposed our will,” said Curry. “We did our best to take care of the basketball so they didn’t have easy transition opportunities.
“And we rebounded the ball well. So all things considered, really solid effort, knowing that if you give them momentum in this building, they are tough.”
Oklahoma City fans had been waiting for a chance to boo former Thunder Kevin Durant but he sat out with an injury.
Instead they got a cold-shooting night from all-star Russell Westbrook, who scored just seven points on a dismal two-for-16 shooting.
Westbrook, who was fined $25,000 earlier in the week after an altercation with Utah Jazz fans, missed all seven of his three-point attempts. He had nine assists and eight rebounds.
Paul George had 29 points and 13 rebounds, and Dennis Schroder added 15 points for the Thunder, who shot a season worst 32 percent from the field.
The Thunder made just 13 of 41 three-pointers.
‘‘We were trying to prevent him from getting downhill, beating you from the outside because when he’s getting to the rim, attacking, that’s when everybody’s getting the ball at their best,’’ Thompson said of stopping Westbrook.
Curry scored 19 points in the first half to help the Warriors lead 64-46 at halftime. Curry scored 11 more in the third quarter to put the Warriors up 87-71 at the end of the period.
The Warriors won for the 25th time in their last 26 games when all Durant sits out which shows their depth.
Durant did not play for the second game in a row because of an ankle injury.
Durant has drawn the ire of Oklahoma City fans for the decision he made to join Golden State in free agency after the Warriors beat his Thunder in the 2016 NBA playoff semi-finals.
Elsewhere, Kyrie Irving finished one assist shy of a triple double as the Boston Celtics squandered a 25-point lead but managed to hold on and beat the Atlanta Hawks 129-120.
Irving had 30 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists and Jaylen Brown scored 23 points for the Celtics, who have won six of their last eight games.
Marcus Morris had 19 points and Jayson Tatum scored 18 for Boston.
Trae Young led the Hawks with 26 points, John Collins scored 20 with 11 rebounds, Taurean Price had 17 points and Vince Carter scored 16.
It could have been a costly win for the Celtics after forward Gordon Hayward suffered a strained neck early in the game and didn’t return.
