Golden State Warriors hold on to extend National Basketball Association win streak to 25

Stephen Curry made nine three-pointers and scored 44 points Saturday, leading the undefeated Golden State Warriors to a 112-109 victory over the Toronto Raptors. Golden State burst out to a 32-23 lead after 12 minutes in Wednesday’s game, but it was the third quarter in which Curry caught fire and scored the team’s final 24 points before taking the fourth quarter of the 116-99 victory off.

As Stephen Curry, the league’s reigning MVP and best example of limitless human possibility, launched jumpers before Saturday’s game, a young child in his replica jersey watched, about 20 rows up.

“I have great memories of being here watching my dad play”.

Meanwhile, the Nets have lost five of their last eight games and are coming into this one fresh off a 108-91 beating thanks to the Knicks.

Draymond Green played his usual all-around game with 16 points, nine rebounds and six assists.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the win moved Golden State past the St. Louis Maroons of the Union Association, a predecessor to Major League Baseball, for the best start to a season by a professional sports team (see full recap). Golden State is now 21-0 on the season and 11-0 on the road.

This one was a challenge.

Fresh off of calling the game, Matt Devlin and Jack Armstrong break down the epic match-up the ACC was treated to when Steph Curry and Kyle Lowry faced off in a duel of all-star guards. “We’ve been able to separate each game individually and figure out different ways of winning”. Kyle Lowry, who never looks like he’s not working his absolute hardest, muscled his way to 41 points and seven assists, on 14-of-26 shooting (including 6-of-10 from three). DeMar DeRozan recovered from an ugly 1-for-10 shooting performance in the first half and finished with 16 points.

TRAIL BLAZERS 109, T-WOLVES 103 (at Minneapolis) – Damian Lillard overcame a slow start to finish with 19 points and seven assists and Portland rallied from 17 points down in the third quarter to beat Minnesota. “I just try to get to my spots on the floor. We have to learn from it”.

Lowry found Lucas Nogueira for an alley-oop dunk with 2:03 to go, tying it at 102. He fouled out with a little over two minutes left.

The lead was down to one when Scola made two free throws with 6.2 seconds left.

“It seems like he gets 40 points quietly”, Thompson said of Curry. He scored 14 points in the first six minutes and had 21 points at the half. Other superstars were in the house for Masai Ujiri’s Nelson Mandela, Giants of Africa tribute, including the first man to hold the Raptors general manager job, Isiah Thomas, Didier Drogba and Donovan Bailey. Players on both teams wore special t-shirts during warm-ups and on the bench, and the Raptors welcomed a number of special guests, including worldwide soccer star Didier Drogba. He was asked if he ever thought that had he made that shot, the Warriors would not have rewritten the history books with the NBA’s best-ever start. “They really do”, said Walton, enveloped in a scrum of some 50 reporters and cameramen.

The Warriors were without starting center Andrew Bogut and starting forward Harrison Barnes.

Jimmy Butler scored 25 points and Derrick Rose had 19 for the Bulls, who fell to 7-2 at the United Center.

Even as this game hung in the balance, with the Raptors a few missed free throws from excellent shooters and a surrendered offensive rebound from maybe changing the result, the Warriors did not look frazzled.

Orlando’s five-game winning streak came to an end in Los Angeles, losing 102-101 at the Clippers.