NEW YORK _ There marked no need this time for the Warriors to overcome an opponent scoring 47 first-quarter points. Instead, the Warriors struggled to hold on to a 28-point lead.
The Warriors still secured a 118-111 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, but what initially turned into a breezy affair unnecessarily turned into a nail-biter.
Brooklyn (6-10) scored 47 third-quarter points, the same amount the Nets had scored in the first half combined. The Warriors recorded nearly as many fouls (27) as assists (29). And Warriors guard Stephen Curry fouled out, as Golden State held a 107-102 lead with three minutes remaining.
Fortunately for the Warriors (13-4), talent prevailed.
Curry still recorded his 19th career double-double with a season-high 39 points, while shooting 14-of-24 from the field and 4-of-10 from 3-point range and posting 11 rebounds and seven assists. Warriors guard Klay Thompson added 21 points on 10-of-17 shooting. And though the Warriors missed star forward Kevin Durant with a sprained left ankle, inserted starter Omri Casspi performed just fine with 12 points on 6-of-10 shooting, eight rebounds and infinite off-ball cuts.
With the Nets' backcourt in Jeremy Lin and D'Angelo Russell nursing long-term injuries, Brooklyn initially lacked any offensive firepower to the Warriors. That is until the Warriors stopped competing for nearly most of the second half.
