HOUSTON (AP) Golden State’s Klay Thompson covered for the absence of star player Stephen Curry by scoring 38 points to lead the Warriors to a 114-110 win at Houston on Thursday.
Having suffered only their second defeat of the season on Wednesday when Curry missed his first game due to a lower leg injury, the Warriors found just enough to compensate for the loss of the reigning league MVP and edged the Rockets.
Among other results on New Year’s Eve, Oklahoma City hung on to send Phoenix to a seventh successive loss, and the Los Angeles Clippers capped a perfect five-game road trip by defeating New Orleans.
Golden State’s Thompson made six 3-pointers, while Draymond Green had a triple-double of 16 assists – a career high- along with 10 points and 11 rebounds.
James Harden had 30 points for Houston, which has dropped seven straight regular-season games to Golden State.
Oklahoma City’s dynamic duo of Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant steered the Thunder to a 110-106 win against Phoenix.
Westbrook had 36 points and 12 assists while Durant scored 23 points for Oklahoma City, which has won 12 of 14 games. Westbrook also had five steals and blocked a shot.
T.J. Warren had 29 points and nine rebounds for the Suns, who had six players score in double figures but still lost.
Scores were tied with 1:34 left when Durant scored on a fade-away jumper and got free for a dunk that made it 106-102 with 31.7 seconds remaining.
Los Angeles’ Chris Paul made up for a poor shooting performance by pulling off some pivotal plays in the closing minutes to seal a 95-89 win for the Clippers at New Orleans.
Paul missed 15 of his first 17 shots, but hit a 19-foot step-back jumper with a minute to go to give Los Angeles a 90-87 lead. Before and after that score, Paul assisted on baskets by Jamal Crawford. Paul, who finished with 12 assists, then added three free throws in the final 21 seconds.
J.J. Redick scored 26 points for the Clippers for a second straight night.
Anthony Davis had 14 points and 15 rebounds for New Orleans.
Milwaukee’s Khris Middleton scored 33 points as the Bucks stopped a three-game losing streak and edged Indiana 120-116.
Detroit also arrested a three-game skid and swept past Minnesota 115-90, with Andre Drummond contributing 23 points and 18 rebounds.
Utah broke clear in the second quarter to beat Portland 109-96 as Trey Burke scored a season-high 27 points.
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