Durant leads Warriors past Lakers for 11th straight win
Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant (35) drives past Los Angeles Lakers’ Kyle Kuzma (0), Larry Nance Jr. (7) and Brandon Ingram, right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game. AP
OAKLAND, California — Kevin Durant had 33 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and four blocks, and the Golden State Warriors held off the Los Angeles Lakers 113-106 on Friday (Saturday Manila time) for their 11th straight victory.
Rookie Jordan Bell recorded his first career double-double with season bests of 20 points and 10 rebounds, making a key layup with 2:45 to go and dunking a minute later. Klay Thompson scored 16 points and Draymond Green added 13 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists as he came back from a shoulder injury for the defending champs.
Kyle Kuzma scored 27 points and fellow rookie Lonzo Ball had 24 points with five 3-pointers in his first visit to Oracle Arena. Julius Randle added 21 points off the bench for Los Angeles, which snapped the Rockets’ 14-game winning streak Wednesday night in Houston.
Durant shot 9 for 20 in the Warriors’ 10th win in a row at home against the Lakers and sixth overall after Golden State outlasted the Lakers in overtime Monday night in Los Angeles.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr and Lakers coach and former top Golden State assistant Luke Walton had a nice chat near the Warriors bench after the final buzzer.
Still without two-time MVP Stephen Curry, Golden State got some much-needed reinforcements.
Green returned after missing five of six games with soreness in his right shoulder, while Andre Iguodala also was back after sitting out Wednesday night’s win against Memphis with flu-like symptoms.
The Lakers, who trailed by as many as 23 in the third quarter before getting within 84-72 going into the final 12 minutes, briefly took their first lead of the night at 89-88 on Randle’s 3-pointer with 7:43 remaining.
Los Angeles cut the lead to 86-81 on a steal by Josh Hart and Kuzma’s layup with 9:39 left, then 88-86 when Kentavious Caldwell-Pope hit a 3-pointer at the 8:09 mark.
