Curry scores 29 on his 29th birthday, Warriors win
Philadelphia 76ers’ Jahlil Okafor, left, Dario Saric (9) and TJ McConnell, right, guard Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (30) during the second half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, March 14, 2017, in Oakland, Calif. Warriors won, 106-104. AP
OAKLAND, California, United States — Stephen Curry scored 29 points on his 29th birthday and the Golden State Warriors used a frenetic fourth-quarter rally to end a three-game skid with a 106-104 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night.
Dario Saric intentionally missed his second free throw with 2.6 seconds remaining to try to give the Sixers one last shot, but Curry secured the ball.
Curry struggled to knock down open 3-pointers again but came through from deep with 5:38 left and again with a key baseline 3 at 3:42. Matt Barnes hit one a minute later from the opposite corner for a 104-99 lead.
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Curry’s jumper with 9:55 to play pulled the Warriors within 90-86 after Golden State trailed 90-78 to begin the final quarter. Draymond Green’s 3 at 8:04 made it a one-point game, and Shaun Livingston gave Golden State the lead the next time down.
Klay Thompson scored 28 and Green had 20 points, eight assists, eight rebounds and six blocks for the Warriors, who trailed by as many as 16 in the third.
CAVALIERS 128, PISTONS 96
CLEVELAND — LeBron James got his 52nd career triple-double, Kyrie Irving scored 26 points and Cleveland used a blazing start to overpower Detroit.
James picked up his 10th triple-double of the season and third in the last four games at the 3:45 mark of the third quarter. In only 28 minutes, the four-time MVP finished with 16 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists.
Cleveland had lost four of five, but James helped them cruise in this one. He even overpowered a teammate at one point, flattening Irving while grabbing a rebound in the third quarter. James helped Irving to his feet then dribbled the ball up the floor.
Cleveland’s hot shooting buried Detroit early. The Cavaliers made their first 10 3-pointers and started by hitting 22 of 25 shots for a 60-33 lead early in the second quarter.
THUNDER 122, NETS 104
NEW YORK — Russell Westbrook had 25 points, 19 assists and 12 rebounds in his 33rd triple-double of the season, and Oklahoma City beat Brooklyn.
Westbrook shot just 6 of 18 from the field after scoring 40 or more points in five of his previous eight games, but as usual he was the dominant player on the floor even when his shot didn’t fall.
He was loudly cheered throughout the night by what appeared a full and lively crowd despite a winter storm that pounded New York on Tuesday, and the fans roared when he grabbed his 10th rebound with just under five minutes to play for the 70th triple-double of his career.
Victor Oladipo added 21 points for the Thunder, who won their third straight game. Enes Kanter had 17 points and Brooklyn native Taj Gibson finished with 17 points and eight rebounds.
Brook Lopez scored 25 points and Jeremy Lin had 24 for the Nets, who failed in their attempt to win consecutive games for the first time this season.
KNICKS 87, PACERS 81
NEW YORK — Carmelo Anthony scored 15 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter, Derrick Rose added 16 points and New York overcame a 13-point third-quarter deficit to beat Indiana.
Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis exited in the third quarter with a left leg injury. Rookie Willy Hernangomez entered in his place and had 13 points and 16 rebounds.
New York had lost its last three games. Anthony also had 13 rebounds.
Paul George scored 22 points for the Pacers, who failed to build on their sixth-place lead in the Eastern Conference. Myles Turner had 17 points and 12 rebounds.
The Knicks trailed 59-46 with 9:07 left in the third after Turner’s basket but closed out the quarter on an 18-3 run, capped by Anthony’s 3-pointer that gave New York a 64-62 lead with 52 seconds left.
PELICANS 100, TRAIL BLAZERS 77
NEW ORLEANS — DeMarcus Cousins scored 22 points, Anthony Davis had 15 points and 15 rebounds and New Orleans beat Portland.
Cousins had nine rebounds and three assists. He made 9 of 17 2-point shots but missed all five of his 3-point attempts.
Jordan Crawford had 13 points and scored in double figures for the fourth time in four games since being signed to a 10-day contract March 5. Solomon Hill scored 12 points, E’Twaun Moore had 11 and Jrue Holiday 10.
Damian Lillard scored 29 points to lead Portland, which lost for the second time in its last seven games. Shabazz Napier came off the bench to score 10 points. CBB
