Sixers Fall To Warriors
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Monta Ellis had 22 points and a season-high 12 assists, David Lee added 21 points and 16 rebounds and Golden State won its third straight, beating the Philadelphia 76ers 110-95 on Monday night.
Stephen Curry added 17 points, including seven straight during a decisive run in the fourth quarter when the Warriors (12-18) pulled away.
The three-game winning streak is Golden State's longest since it won three in a row in April 2009.
Jrue Holiday had 23 points and 11 assists for Philadelphia (12-19) while Elton Brand had his eighth double-double in 13 games with 16 points and 16 rebounds.
Ellis, named the Western Conference player of the week earlier in the day after averaging 39.7 points in three games, struggled with his shot most of the night. He missed seven of his first 11 attempts and was didn't score in the fourth quarter until 23 seconds were left.
That didn't seem to slow the Warriors down much. Golden State made its best run of the game to open the fourth quarter with Ellis on the bench.
Lee and Wright combined for 10 points and Curry, playing in foul trouble most of the game, added a 3-pointer to give the Warriors a 94-80 lead. After Ellis returned, Curry made two free throws and added another 3 to make it 101-85.
Ellis finished 8 of 19 from the floor. The 12 assists are one shy of his career high.
Despite Ellis' scoring troubles, Golden State still extended its longest win streak in nearly 20 months. Before winning three in a row, the Warriors had dropped 14 of 16.
It helped playing a team that came into the game short-handed.
The 76ers played without forward Andre Iguodala who was a late scratch due to recurring tendonitis in his right Achilles. It's the same injury that ended Iguodala's streak of 252 consecutive games played and forced him to miss five games in November.
That further depleted Philadelphia's already thin bench. Jason Kapono sat out the game after injuring a calf muscle while practicing in Denver. Guard Lou Williams remained in Philadelphia for the birth of his daughter while assistant coach Brian James also missed the game in Golden State after the death of his father.
Philadelphia, playing its fifth game on an eight-game road trip, outrebounded the Warriors 54-44 but was just 4 of 17 on 3-pointers and had 17 turnovers.
The 76ers struggled early offensively and trailed by 12 but went on a 21-4 run to take its first lead of the game. They pushed their advantage to 35-30 on Brand's 8-foot turnaround shot with 5:45 remaining in the second quarter before Ellis warmed up.
In addition to dishing out seven assists in the first half, Ellis scored on consecutive trips down the floor, including a 3-pointer, and Rodney Carney added his own 3 to give the Warriors a 55-49 halftime lead.
Wright and Ellis made back-to-back 3s late in the third quarter and Ellis added a pair of free throws to make it 76-70.
Notes: Ellis has had seven or more assists in four straight games for the first time in his career. ... Both Williams and James are expected to rejoin the team Friday in Los Angeles when the 76ers play the Lakers. ... The Warriors planned to send G Jeremy Lin to the NBA's Development League after the game. ... Philadelphia is 0-11 when allowing opponents to score 100 points or more.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
