Thompson scores 36 as Warriors blast Lakers

“He’s playing at a very, very high level”, Curry said. “Long-term, it’s not something that I’ll have to worry about”. Backup center Marreese Speights recorded a season-high with 15 points and small forward Harrison Barnes, playing for the first time since suffering an ankle injury on November 27, put up eight points in 18 minutes, helping Golden State remain one of two teams (along with San Antonio) unbeaten at home this season. “That doesn’t get worse if I play on it, unless I get kicked, which has happened three times since I did it. Hopefully it won’t keep happening”.

It’s a Pacific Division affair as the Golden State Warriors go head-to-head against the Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center in the regular season of the National Basketball Association. Of course, he won’t sit out that amount of time to get rid of all the swelling.

“I didn’t feel any pain at all”, he said.

Curry recovered well enough – and lobbied hard enough – to stay in the game after the timeout and two minutes later drained a 3-pointer.

“I wasn’t going to put him back out there at first, but he was pretty adamant about it”, Warriors interim coach Luke Walton said.

Kobe Bryant is nearing his 20th season in the National Basketball Association.

Green is that pesky player who opponents hate to face off against because you know what you’re going to get out of him: an all-out hustler who isn’t afraid to get on the floor for loose balls and who is always making the smart plays for his team.

“I thought the second quarter, we seemed to kind of settle down”, said Coach Byron Scott.

Bryant on this night actually did sit out due to a sore right shoulder.

Meanwhile, Draymond Green was +32, Klay Thompson +31 and Stephen Curry +29, while Jason Thompson was a -9.

Even as the Warriors had Curry hobbling and were missing multiple reserves, the Lakers didn’t stand much of a chance without Bryant and D’Angelo Russell – two of their top four scorers. Klay Thompson scored a game-high 36 points.

He scored 14 points during the opening quarter, when the Celtics shot 56 percent and took a 15-point lead and had 17 when Boston led by 14 at halftime. But Thompson coming out firing with 22 points in the first against the Lakers was a sight to see. The Lakers managed 33.3 percent on field goals and 3-pointers. “I was telling them on the bench, when you start looking for it, it’s impossible to get”.

Golden State improved to 33-2 overall and 17-0 at Oracle Arena this year after they defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 109-88. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and condition of the Getty Images License Agreement.

The left shin contusion which Stephen Curry first suffered last week continues to give him problems.

Green was honored earlier in the day as Western Conference Player of the Week for the period ending Sunday.

Draymond Green saw his three-game streak of triple-doubles snapped, but he still racked up nine points, 12 rebounds and five assists.

“Mo was great for us”, Walton said.