OAKLAND, California: Nah, that slow start didn’t last long for the defending NBA champions.
Draymond Green knew they’d be just fine.
“We know what we’re capable of,” he said, “we just needed to lock in and focus.”
And Golden State is getting better by the game — balanced, getting better on both ends, doing all the little things that were discussed all summer.
Kevin Durant returned from missing one game with a leg injury to finish with 29 points, leading the Warriors past the Philadelphia 76ers 135-114 on Saturday night for their sixth straight win.
Green did his usual thing: 10 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists, five blocks and two steals. Stephen Curry took a knee to his right quad muscle — similar to what Durant dealt with — but added 22 points and nine assists to surpass the 4,000-assist mark for his career and Klay Thompson scored 23 as the Warriors pulled away in the second half.
“It’s been great to have so many guys contribute so many guys contribute in different ways,” Green said. “That’s what we’ve talked about early on was our depth and guys have stepped up.”
Durant sat out Wednesday’s win against the Timberwolves with a bruised left thigh but hardly showed any signs of an issue. Curry, sporting new twisties in his hair, briefly went to the locker room early in the second but returned.
JJ Redick scored 17 points to lead the Sixers, who hung around for a half.
“You realize that there is zero margin of error,” coach Brett Brown said. “There is so much firepower on that team.”
The Warriors have won by 17 or more points in each game of this winning streak, averaging 122.8 points.
Golden State built its first double-digit lead of the night at 86-76 on Nick Young’s 3-pointer with 4:14 left in the third, and rolled from there getting another quick 3 by Young, one from Curry and a Durant jumper.
The Warriors won their ninth straight against the Sixers and sixth in a row at Oracle Arena.
76ers two-way player James Michael McAdoo received his Warriors championship ring in a pregame ceremony. He was cheered when he checked in for the first time midway through the fourth.
Coach Steve Kerr texted with him leading up to the game.
“I’m thrilled that he was here, and I thought it was a great gesture by the Sixers to make sure he was here,” Kerr said. “I know he’ll get a huge ovation from the crowd tonight, he deserves it.”
Durant leads defending NBA champions Warriors after missing a game
Durant leads defending NBA champions Warriors after missing a game
T20 World Cup: England rout Sri Lanka for 95 to win Super Eights opener
- England were asked to bat first, scored what looked like below-par 146-9
- Archer, Will Jacks took five wickets to leave Sri Lanka top order in tatters
KANDY: England routed Sri Lanka for 95 to give captain Harry Brook a perfect birthday present as they opened the T20 World Cup Super Eights phase with a resounding 51-run win in Kandy on Sunday.
After England were asked to bat first and scored what looked like a below-par 146-9, Jofra Archer and Will Jacks took five wickets during the six-over power play to leave Sri Lanka’s top order in tatters at 34-5.
“That’s a beautiful birthday present,” said Brook, who turned 27 on Sunday.
“I thought we played exceptionally there. To get over the line and bowl them out for less than 100 is an awesome effort.
“I didn’t think there were really any demons on the pitch. I think the spinners on both sides used the pace really well, and that’s what brought a lot of wickets.”
It was England’s 12th win in a row against Sri Lanka and on a pitch that was sticky and slow after rain all week in Kandy.
The margin of victory gives them a healthy net run rate advantage in a Super Eights group that could be further affected by weather, after the New Zealand-Pakistan match was washed out on Saturday in Colombo.
“We’re buzzing with that,” said Jacks who was named player of the match for the third time in five matches in the tournament.
“At the halfway stage, we were pleased to get up to 146, but obviously we knew we were going to have to bowl well and work hard.”
The searing pace of Jofra Archer accounted for both openers, including the in-form Pathum Nissanka (9), who had scored a century and 62 in his last two knocks but failed to clear Jamie Overton at deep mid-wicket.
Archer finished with 2-20 and Jacks 3-22, the latter accounting for Kusal Mendis (4) and Pavan Rathnayake (0) in consecutive balls.
Dunith Wellalage staved off the hat-trick but lasted only 10 balls before also falling to Jacks, for 10.
LONE BATTLE
Dasun Shanaka fought a lone battle scoring 30 off 24 balls before falling to Adil Rashid.
The Sri Lanka captain took on the leg-spinner but Jacks took the catch and tossed the ball to Tom Banton before stepping over the boundary.
“It’s one bad game which is not affordable in a World Cup,” said Shanaka.
“But we need to bounce back in the next couple of games.”
Sri Lanka earlier restricted England to 146-9 with left-arm spinner Wellalage taking 3-26.
Phil Salt scored 62 at the top of the order but Sri Lanka, who are missing three of their frontline bowlers, contained the rest of the England batting line-up with regular wickets.
Wellalage was introduced during the power play and trapped the out-of-form Jos Buttler (7) and Brook (14), both lbw, as England limped to 68-4 at the halfway mark.
Salt was caught in the deep off Wellalage after facing 40 deliveries with six fours and two sixes.
Jacks, with 21, was the only other England batsman to score more than 20.
“Jacksie was pretty annoyed with the way he got out,” said Brook, who then explained why the new ball was tossed to the off-spinner.
“He said to me he always bowls better when he’s angry, and thankfully he got off to a cracking start.”
Left-arm seamer Dilshan Madushanka took 2-25 while Maheesh Theekshana took 2-21 with his offspin.
