NBA News Wire
Warriors 126, 76ers 86
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
OAKLAND, Calif. — Shooting guard Klay Thompson scored 11 of his 14 points in the first quarter, and the Golden State Warriors built a double-digit lead within eight minutes en route to a 126-86 demolition of the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night.
A 10th consecutive win at Oracle Arena, their longest home streak in 25 years, allowed the Warriors (25-5) to remain unbeaten against the Eastern Conference this season. At 9-0, Golden State is the only team in the league that is undefeated against the other conference.
The 40-point margin of victory was Golden State’s largest of the season, easily surpassing the 27-point win over the New Orleans Pelicans earlier this month.
Sixteen of the Warriors’ 25 wins this season came by double-figure margins.
The league leaders in field-goal percentage and point differential improved on both of those numbers by hitting 46 of their 82 shots (56.1 percent).
Center Marreese Speights led seven Warriors in double figures, scoring 23 points.
Golden State, which opened a six-game homestand with a blowout win over Minnesota on Saturday, sees the slate gets appreciably more challenging beginning Friday with a matchup against the Toronto Raptors. The Oklahoma City Thunder, Indiana Pacers and Cleveland Cavaliers also visit Oakland in the next 10 days.
Backup swingman Leandro Barbosa had 17 points, point guard Stephen Curry and reserve power forward David Lee 13 apiece, backup guard Justin Holiday 11 and power forward Draymond Green 10 for the Warriors, who beat the 76ers for a fourth consecutive time.
Green led the Warriors with 10 rebounds. Curry had a team-best nine assists.
The Warriors led by as many as 15 points in the first quarter and 27 in the second period before busting the game wide open with a 20-6 flurry to open an 85-49 advantage late in the third quarter.
Power forward Henry Sims had 19 points for the 76ers (4-26), who once again were without small forwards Luc Mbah a Moute (calf) and Hollis Thompson (illness).
The loss was the third straight on seven-game trip for the 76ers, who began the journey with wins at Orlando and Miami. They since lost at Portland, Utah and Golden State.
Small forward Robert Covington and backup guard Tony Wroten and reserve forward Malcolm Thomas had 10 points apiece for the 76ers, who took their second-worst loss of the season. Dallas beat Philadelphia by 53, 123-70, during the 76ers’ season-opening, 17-game losing streak. Covington led the 76ers with nine rebounds.
The 76ers lost by 10 or more points for the 18th time.
NOTES: The last time the Warriors played the 76ers — Feb. 10 — Golden State won 123-80. … With 12 wins in December after a 13-win November, the Warriors recorded back-to-back months with a double-figure win total for the first time since February and March of 1992. … Sixers coach Brett Brown was an assistant in San Antonio during Steve Kerr’s playing days. Recalled the current Warriors coach: “Players pair off with different assistant coaches and work each day, and Brett and I worked every day after practice. He was one of the guys I could beat one-on-one on the staff. That’s why I chose him.” … The 76ers haven’t played a home game since Dec. 21 and won’t play another until Jan. 5.
