OAKLAND (California) • The Charlotte Hornets took a hands-off approach to Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry on Wednesday. It did not work.
He made six three-pointers in the first quarter, paving the way for a 39-point performance that propelled the Warriors to a 126-111 win over the struggling Hornets in the National Basketball Association.
The oddity of Curry's 13th 30-point explosion of the season: He never went to the free-throw line. In fact, he was never fouled in the entire game.
"Yeah, it's weird when these nights happen," said the guard, who recalled a 51-point outing last February in which he shot just one free throw (and made it).
"When you get it all from the field," he continued, "you can get into a rhythm and make all kinds of shots."
Curry (11 of 15 from three-point range) and Klay Thompson (six of 10 from long distance) combined for 17 three-pointers as the Warriors set franchise records for threes in a quarter (nine) and a half (15) en route to a season-best 21.
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The Warriors dropped 77 points in the first half. It was the fourth time this season they had scored 75 or more after the first two periods. The rest of the NBA have combined to achieve that four times.
Golden State attempted a franchise-record 48 three-point shots.
Thompson finished with 29 points and tied a career-high eight assists. Kevin Durant added 18 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, helping the Warriors (42-7) record an eighth win in a row at home against Eastern Conference competition this season.
The rematch of a tight Golden State win at Charlotte last Wednesday was never close, with Curry hitting 27- and 26-footers in the first 98 seconds to give the Warriors a lead they never relinquished.
He scored 18 first-quarter points, all on three-pointers, and Thompson chipped in with 11 as Golden State built a 31-11 lead en route to a 41-21 advantage at period's end.
"The cool thing about tonight was we both got started hot," Curry said of himself and Thompson. "The flow was perfect. Everyone was involved. It got contagious."
The Warriors' biggest lead of the game was 32 points.
Green led all rebounders with 10.
Backup big man Frank Kaminsky recorded a career-best 24 points for the Hornets, who lost their sixth straight. Marco Belinelli added 16 points for Charlotte (23-27).
All-Star guard Kemba Walker finished with a season-low seven points, failing to reach double figures for the first time this season.
"We just need to figure some things out, man to man," Walker said of his club's slump.
REUTERS
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