OAKLAND • Even after nine consecutive head-to-head wins, the Golden State Warriors approached the Los Angeles Clippers like arch-rivals on Thursday.
When the final firework exploded in a highly emotional, technical-foul-marred NBA game, the Warriors had win No. 10.
Stephen Curry contributed five three-pointers to a 50-point, third-quarter eruption that erased a half-time deficit and propelled the Warriors to a 123-113 victory over the Clippers.
"We didn't have much fire in the first half," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said of the first 24 minutes following an eight-day All-Star break. "We talked at half-time about playing with more urgency - and the guys really did."
Curry had 20 points and Kevin Durant 15 in the third period, which began with the Warriors trailing their Pacific Division rivals 49-61. The pair finished with 35 points and 25 respectively.
"You know they're going to go on those runs. They have too many shooters not to," said Clippers guard Austin Rivers, whose 11 first-half points helped put Golden State in a hole. "They've got the best shooters in the league on one team. It's stupid to expect them not to hit threes and tough shots."
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4-0
Win-loss record the Warriors hold against the Clippers this season.50
Points scored by the Warriors in the third period, the first time an NBA team produced such a feat since 2014.
The win completed a second consecutive 4-0 season-series sweep for the Warriors (48-9) over the Clippers (35-22), who once again were without outstanding guard Chris Paul.
His replacement, Rivers, had three first-half three-pointers as the Clippers used a 15-0 run to erase an early deficit and go into the half- time break with a 12-point lead.
Golden State scored only 18 points in the second quarter, during which they trailed by as many as 16 points.
However, the Warriors responded with 17-of-23 shooting (73.9 per cent) in the third period, including nine of 15 (60 per cent) from three-point range, to regain the lead for good.
"It was a fun quarter," Curry said. "Obviously, there were a lot of emotions - the (referees') calls, techs (technical fouls), some nonsense. We did a good job keeping our composure."
Golden State outscored Los Angeles 50-26 in the third quarter, recording the first 50-point period in the NBA since 2014 and the franchise's first since 1989.
The 10-game winning streak equals the longest for either team in the Clippers-Warriors rivalry.
"We're on a good run against them, obviously," Kerr said.
"We've generally played well against them because they're tough rivals.
"They're a team we respect, so we want to beat them. They bring the best out of us."
REUTERS
