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SPORTSMonday 4 January 2016
NBA Roundup:
Sharp-shooting Spurs down Rockets to stay perfect at home
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — San for the Spurs, who pushed Will Barton, whose two shots
Antonio hit a season-high late in regulation forced
13 3-pointers to beat state their franchise-record the extra period, missed
rival Houston 121-103 on an off-balance attempt
Saturday, as all four NBA home start to a season by following Thompson’s go-
divisional leaders in action ahead basket. Thompson
recorded victories. notching a 20th straight then made one of two free
Golden State lost reigning throws before Barton’s des-
MVP Stephen Curry to a victory on home court. peration 3-pointer at the
fresh leg injury but did just buzzer hit the rim.
enough to beat Denver in They won despite Tim Dun- Curry came back follow-
overtime, Oklahoma City ing a two-game absence
pulled away in the second can being held scoreless because of a bruised low-
half to win comfortably at er left leg, but sustained a
Charlotte, and Cleveland for the first time in his 19- contusion on his left shin
extended its dominance of and didn’t play the entire
Orlando. year career. second half. The reign-
San Antonio’s LaMarcus Al- ing MVP finished with five
dridge had 24 points and Dwight Howard had 22 points and four assists in 14-
Kawhi Leonard added 22 plus minutes.
points and 11 rebounds for
the Rockets.
Golden State’s Klay Thomp-
son made a driving finger
roll basket with 15.6 sec-
onds left in overtime to give
the Warriors a 111-108 win
against Denver, keeping
their undefeated home re-
cord intact.
San Antonio Spurs forward Boris Diaw (33), of France, shoots
against Houston Rockets forward Terrence Jones during the sec-
ond half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Jan. 2, 2016, in
San Antonio. San Antonio won 121-103.
(AP Photo/Darren Abate)
The Warriors (31-2) had just who put four other play-
seven players available ers in double figures while
for overtime. They blew a winning their fourth straight
26-point lead before hang- game. Oklahoma City has
ing on for their 34th straight won 10 in a row against
regular-season win at Ora- Charlotte dating to the
cle Arena, including a fran- 2010-11 season.
chise-best start of 16-0 this Kemba Walker had 32
season. points for the Hornets.
Nuggets forward Kenneth Cleveland extended its
Faried was in a neck brace succession of wins over Or-
and strapped to a stretch- lando to 13 by beating the
er as he was wheeled off Magic 104-79.
the court about 10 minutes LeBron James scored 29
after the game ended. points for the Cavaliers,
Faried, who took an elbow who led by 31 points in the
to the back of the neck third quarter and looked
while jostling for a rebound capable of surpassing the
late in overtime, was taken 40-point margin it beat the
to hospital for tests. Magic by last month.
Oklahoma State’s Kevin James was 11 of 18 from
Durant had 29 points and the field with five rebounds
11 rebounds to lead the and three assists in 29 min-
Thunder to a 109-90 win at utes. Kyrie Irving, playing his
Charlotte. fifth game since returning
Russell Westbrook added from a broken left knee-
16 points for the Thunder, cap, scored 13 points.q
