Stephen Curry scored 29 points on his 29th birthday, and the Golden State Warriors defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 106-104 at home on Tuesday after trailing by double digits up until the beginning of the fourth quarter.
With the victory, Golden State— which erased a 16-point deficit with 13:55 remaining— snapped a three-game losing streak.
”It’s frustrating only because in the moment, everything feels good. You want to make shots, as a competitor and a gamer, that’s what you expect to happen,” Curry said. ”It’s one of those things you just will yourself through.”
Dario Saric intentionally missed his second free throw with 2.6 seconds left to try to give the Sixers (24-43, 13th in Eastern Conference) one last shot, but Curry secured the ball. Saric finished with 25 points.
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“That’s what I love about Steph is that he’s never going to stop shooting, and he never loses confidence,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said of Curry, who made 3 of 5 three-pointers on 4-of-17 shooting. “It wasn’t his night and yet he still scored 12 in the fourth quarter. That’s the mark of a star.”
Kerr insists nobody can expect the two-time reigning MVP to match his NBA-record 402 3-pointers last season.
The Sixers’ loss marked their fourth in five games. It was also their eighth straight series defeat to the Warriors (53-14, 1st in Western Conference).
Klay Thompson scored 28 points for Golden State, and Draymond Green added 20 with 11 free throws, eight assists, eight rebounds and six blocks for the Warriors.
The Warriors returned home following a rough road stretch that included losing Kevin Durant to a sprained left knee, and just managed to avoid their first four-game skid since February/March 2013. Durant, who was without his knee brace Tuesday, is set to be re-evaluated later this month to determine whether he could return before the regular season ends.
Sixers forward Robert Covington started after he missed Sunday’s victory at the Lakers with soreness in his right knee.
Golden State moved half a game ahead of San Antonio for the top spot in the West.
The 76ers next return home from a four-game West Coast trip to host Dallas on Friday.
The Warriors will host Orlando on Thursday, seeking an eighth straight victory against the Magic.
OAKLAND, CA – MARCH 27: Ish Smith #1 of the Philadelphia 76ers goes up to shoot over Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors during an NBA Basketball game at ORACLE Arena on March 27, 2016 in Oakland, California.
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