SALT LAKE CITY (Utah) • So far for the Golden State Warriors, every National Basketball Association (NBA) game this season has resulted in a win. The latest was one of the toughest.
Stephen Curry scored 12 of his game-high 26 points in the fourth quarter on Monday as the Warriors continued the best start in NBA history with a 106-103 victory over the Utah Jazz.
The star point guard came up with multiple clutch three-pointers and free throws late in the fourth quarter to fend off a feisty and young Jazz squad.
"This ranks up there. There have been some battles. We have had some lopsided victories too," said Curry. His team also beat the Brooklyn Nets in overtime and rallied from a 23-point deficit against the Los Angeles Clippers.
"What gets lost in the record are the tough games that we have had to claw our way out of. Like tonight. Hard-fought win to start the road trip."
The Warriors improved to 19-0 and increased their road record to 9-0, one shy of a franchise record for consecutive triumphs away from home.
"We knew this was going to be one of the tougher challenges for us," Warriors interim coach Luke Walton said ahead of stops at Charlotte, Toronto, Brooklyn, Indiana, Boston and Milwaukee - all possibilities for that first loss.
"(Utah) is very well coached and they execute. They've got those bigs (Derrick Favors and Rudy Gobert) that are a lot to deal with."
Gordon Hayward scored 24 points to lead Utah (8-8). He missed a desperation half-court heave at the buzzer after Curry hit two free throws with 2.4 seconds left to put the Warriors up by three.
On the previous play, Utah guard Rodney Hood missed a long three-point attempt with 5.9 seconds left - a shot that could have given the Jazz the lead.
"The timing wasn't exactly there," said Hayward, adding that a double screen developed about a half-second too late. "But we got a good look and almost got the offensive rebound too - a tip here, a tip there. We had a chance."
Utah enjoyed success with their big game against the Warriors' smaller line-ups.
Favors scored 23 points and grabbed 10 rebounds while Gobert had 13 points and 11 rebounds.
Forward Draymond Green and guard Klay Thompson each scored 20 points for the defending champions, who were without forward Harrison Barnes. The latter, who will miss at least three games with a sprained left ankle, was averaging 13.4 points per game.
Green said: "When we show up (to other arenas), if we don't bring our 'A game' each and every night, we can be beaten."
REUTERS
