Warriors’ Thompson sidelined for Friday’s game

After pasting the Indiana Pacers behind shooting guard Klay Thompson’s 39 points, the Golden State Warriors forge ahead with their 27-game winning streak and inch ever closer to the NBA’s all-time record.

Thompson scored 29 points in the first half, during which the reigning National Basketball Association champions went on a 22-0 run. Through three periods, Thompson and guard Stephen Curry had 62 combined points. He didn’t have almost as much help as Curry, who orchestrated much of Thompson’s torrid shooting night and also was supported by 14 points (six alley-oops), 10 rebounds and two blocked shots from Andrew Bogut.

At that point, the Warriors had made 44 of 71 field goal attempts (62 percent).

Golden State’s remaining games are fairly evenly split between home (31) and road (28), and the count of remaining road games will drop to 26 by the end of the weekend.

The Celtics may not be caught up in the hype and may be approaching this like any other game, but they will certainly have to raise the bar because this is unlike any other challenge they have faced this season.

In Denver, Nikola Vucevic had 18 points and 13 rebounds, Evan Fournier hit a big 3-pointer late and Orlando got the win on the road.

Thompson also suffered an ankle sprain in the final minute of play against in, and while he was at practice on Thursday he’s listed as a game-time decision against the Celtics.

“Where we’re at as a team, we don’t want him fighting through it”, Warriors interim head coach Luke Walton said. “Depending on how L.B.is doing, coming off the bench, we have Andre (Iguodala) and Shaun (Livingston) as perimeter players”.

“It’s probably going to be sore for a couple days”, Thompson said, “but I should be back in no time”.

“He had eight 3’s at the half”, Curry said. Like everyone before them in the last 27 games, they failed, as the Warriors zoom in on the Lakers 33-consecutive win streak record.

“Just knowing any given night you don’t know who’s going to be that guy, that’s the strength of this team”. One wonders how long they can remain undefeated on the road.

Maybe there are egos and selfishness behind the scenes, but we’re not seeing them.