Warriors Beat Clippers 129-127 Behind Monster Games From Curry, Durant
OAKLAND (CBS SF/AP) -- Steph Curry made a layup with 0.5 seconds left and the Golden State Warriors outlasted the Los Angeles Clippers 129-127 in an emotionally charged game Sunday night.
Curry had 42 points to tie his second-highest scoring output of the season. He also got the last laugh after he exchanged heated words with Clippers guard Patrick Beverley in the first quarter.
The Clippers' Avery Bradley tied it at 127 with a dunk with 20.6 seconds remaining. On the next possession, Curry had Montrezl Harrell on him at the top of the key, drove down the middle of the lane and converted the layup off the glass for the winner.
Tobias Harris missed a shot as time expired, giving the Warriors their eighth victory in 10 games.
Kevin Durant added 35 points for Golden State to help offset the Clippers' 78-percent (18 of 23) 3-point shooting. Harris led Los Angeles with 32 points, and Lou Williams added 25.
Curry was coming off a 7-for-22 shooting performance against Dallas on Saturday night.
The Warriors rallied in the third quarter. Durant had 14 points in the quarter, Curry added 11 and the Warriors outscored the Clippers 36-23 to take a 103-94 lead into the fourth.
The Clippers couldn't miss from outside in the first half, hitting 13 of 16 3-point shots (81.2 percent) for a 71-67 lead. Harris was 5 for 5 and had 19 points in the half.
According to Elias, the Clippers' 78.3% shooting from three is a single-game NBA record for teams with at least 15 makes or at least 20 attempts.
— Andrew Greif (@AndrewGreif) December 24, 2018
Curry had 22 points in the half, but Golden State was 5 of 16 from 3-point range. However, they outscored Los Angeles 24-10 from the free throw line in the first two quarters and that kept it close.
The Warriors had a little fun with Curry, decorating a bobblehead box to make it astronaut-themed and leaving it at the two-time MVP's locker Sunday, in light of Curry's recent comments about not believing there was ever a U.S. moon landing.
Curry held a lengthy Skype chat last weekend with astronaut Scott Kelly to tell Kelly and others he meant no harm with the joke about not believing in the moon landing.
Durant has scored 30 or more points in four of the last six games. It was Golden State's second of three back-to-backs, with both games at Oracle.
The Warriors will host LeBron James and the Lakers in a marquee Christmas game Tuesday night. James played in Oakland last Christmas with Cleveland ahead of a fourth straight NBA Finals matchup against the Warriors.