OAKLAND -- Back home for a night, the Stephen Curry and the Warriors made good use of the opportunity, running the Los Angeles Clippers off the floor in a 144-98 rout at Oracle Arena.
It was the biggest margin of victory this season for the Warriors.
Curry scored 43 points in three quarters -- 25 in the third -- to lead a relentless scoring barrage as the Warriors stretched their home win streak over the Clippers to 10 games and their overall streak against them to eight.
Kevin Durant tossed in 23 points and Klay Thompson put in 16. With the bench playing the entire fourth quarter, James Michael McAdoo finished with a season-high 10 points.
The Warriors (40-7) shot 62.0 percent from the field, including 50.0 percent from 3-point distance, and also outrebounded LA 48-32. With a 41-point second quarter and a 45-point third, they posted back-to-back quarters of at least 40 points for the first time this season.
Blake Griffin scored 20 points to lead the Clippers (30-18). Playing without point guard Chris Paul, LA lost for the fourth time in five games.
STANDOUT PERFORMER:
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It was, put simply, a Curry night made all the more astonishing by the fact he wasn’t cleared to play until an hour before tipoff.
Curry’s line: 43 points (15-of-23 shooting from the field, including 9-of-15 from beyond the arc, 4-of-4 from the line), nine rebounds and six assists. He played 29 minutes and was plus-42.
Curry’s third quarter line: 25 points (8-of-11 shooting, 5-of-8 from deep, 4-of-4 from the line), six rebounds and three assists. He was plus-22 for the quarter. It was his third 20-point quarter of this season and 17th of his career.
TURNING POINT:
Up 10 (55-45) but with the Clippers hanging around with 2:28 left in the first half, the Warriors went on a scoring rampage, closing the half with a 17-6 run that was punctuated by a halfcourt bomb by Curry at the halftime buzzer.
To be clear, the Warriors scored 17 points in less than two-and-a-half minutes.
They took a 21-point lead (72-51) into the second half, during which LA got no closer.
INJURY UPDATE:
Warriors: G Stephen Curry (L quad soreness) is listed was questionable, upgraded and inserted into the starting lineup. C/F David West (L thumb fracture) was listed as out.
Clippers: G Chris Paul (L thumb ligament tear) and F Brice Johnson (herniated disc) were listed as out.
WHAT’S NEXT:
The Warriors left Oakland immediately after the game for Portland, where on Sunday they will face the Trail Blazers at Moda Center. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:05 p.m.
