Steph Curry made the decisive three-point shot in the Warriors’ exciting 113-112 NBA win against Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns.
Steph Curry scored 30 points, including nine three-pointers, in a close game with 22 lead changes. With 3.3 seconds left and the Warriors trailing 112-110, Curry received a difficult pass, turned, and made a long three-pointer to put Golden State ahead with seven-tenths of a second remaining. This was another memorable moment for Curry, a four-time champion and two-time NBA Most Valuable Player with the struggling Warriors. Devin Booker led the Phoenix Suns with 32 points, including a crucial turnaround jump shot that gave the Phoenix Suns a 112-110 lead with 35.6 seconds left. Despite Kevin Durant’s 24 points, the Warriors ultimately secured the win.
In another game, the Dallas Mavericks secured their fourth consecutive victory by defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder 146-111. Luka Doncic scored 32 points and Kyrie Irving contributed 25, while Daniel Gafford, who made his debut for the Mavericks, added 19 points and nine rebounds. Both Gafford and P.J. Washington, who were acquired at the trade deadline, made an immediate impact. Doncic showcased his skills by assisting both newcomers for alley-oop dunks in the first quarter, helping Dallas to a 47-30 lead. Doncic, the NBA’s leading scorer, also grabbed eight rebounds and dished out nine assists before resting in the fourth quarter.
Meanwhile, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the league’s second-highest scorer, scored 25 points with six rebounds and five assists for the Thunder. Despite their efforts, the Thunder, who were just half a game behind Minnesota for the Western Conference lead, fell behind by as many as 41 points and suffered their second consecutive loss. Irving also made a significant contribution by delivering his 4,000th career assist in the second quarter.
The Los Angeles Clippers overtook the Thunder to claim the second spot in the Western Conference after a challenging 112-106 win against the Detroit Pistons, who are currently at the bottom of the league. Paul George contributed 33 points, with 15 of them coming in the final quarter, as the Clippers rallied from a 13-point deficit in the third quarter. Kawhi Leonard also added 24 points for the Clippers, who initially took a 12-2 lead before the Pistons fought back.
The Cleveland Cavaliers extended their winning streak to nine games by defeating the Raptors 119-95 in Toronto. Jarrett Allen recorded 18 points and 15 rebounds, and eight Cavaliers players scored at least ten points.
The Philadelphia 76ers managed to end a four-game losing streak with a 119-113 win over the Wizards in Washington, despite the absence of NBA Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid due to injury. Tyrese Maxey scored 28 points and Buddy Hield contributed 23 in his second game with the Sixers following a trade.
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