Stephen Curry scored 37 points as the Golden State Warriors outdueled LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers 123-116 to claim a crucial victory in their blockbuster Western Conference clash on Thursday.
Curry, fresh from scoring 52 points in the Warriors’ defeat of Memphis on Tuesday, produced a trademark burst of third-quarter scoring to take the game away from the Lakers down the stretch.
Brandin Podziemski also caught fire for Golden State, making eight-of-10 attempts from three-point range in a 28-point performance that helped the Warriors roll to their fourth straight win.
The Lakers were led by the 40-year-old James with 33 points while Austin Reaves finished with 31 points including nine three-pointers in a frenetic finish in the fourth quarter.
“We’ve set a goal of trying to lift our level of play, preparing hopefully for a playoff series,” Curry told TNT television.
“We know every game matters down the stretch. The intensity has been crazy but that’s what you love — having something to play for is special.”
The victory edged Golden State closer to securing an automatic playoff berth, leaving them fifth in the standings with a 45-31 record. The Lakers remain in fourth place at 46-30, just behind third-placed Denver (47-30).
The Warriors and Lakers are locked in a furious six-way battle for the four remaining automatic playoff berths available in the Western Conference.
© Agence France-Presse
Photo: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
