Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry celebratesMarcio Jose Sanchez/The Associated Press
The Golden State Warriors too often let lesser competition keep games close – and allowed a few of them to slip away – on their home court last season.
That doesn't appear to be a problem anymore.
The Warriors eased past the struggling Sacramento Kings 128-108 on Monday night, the kind of all-around performance that has defined their strong start under new coach Steve Kerr.
All 13 active players scored, including six in double digits. The reserves had a season-high 62 points. And the team totalled 36 assists, the franchise's most in four years.
"These are the fun games when everybody gets in there and scores and feels good afterward," Kerr said.
There have been a lot of those for Golden State already.
Klay Thompson scored 25 points, reserve Justin Holiday had 18 and Festus Ezeli added a career-high 15 points to go with six rebounds in place of injured centre Andrew Bogut, helping the Warriors hold a big lead most of the way.
Stephen Curry also had 12 points and 11 assists – and got to rest most of the fourth quarter – as Golden State stretched its NBA-best record to 23-3.
"We have to learn to share the ball better, the way they do. We have to move it side to side, like they do," said Kings forward Omri Casspi, who had 16 points and eight rebounds.
DeMarcus Cousins had 22 points and eight rebounds, and Darren Collison scored 17 points in Sacramento's latest blowout loss to its Northern California rival. The Warriors whipped the Kings 95-77 on opening night in Sacramento and have won six consecutive games in the series, including all four last season.
Sacramento has lost 11 of 14 games, a slide that started when Cousins came down with viral meningitis and missed 10 games. The Kings also fired Michael Malone as coach last week, and uncertainty about how long interim coach Tyrone Corbin will man the sidelines has lingered since.
"We all need to stick together," Corbin said.
The Warriors got off to a fast start and controlled the game by doing what they have most of the season: clog the paint on defence, push the pace and move the ball.
They led 36-20 at the end of the first quarter, 76-53 early in the third and – except for a few short-lived surges by Sacramento – kept a comfortable cushion throughout.
Perhaps just as important for the Warriors was the return of David Lee, who played for only the second time this season and first since Nov. 5. He had six points on 3-for-9 shooting and seven rebounds in 16 minutes, receiving a standing ovation from the crowd when he entered as a reserve late in the first quarter.
Lee admitted he felt some nerves returning to a team that has done so well without him.
"I was definitely the most excited guy in the NBA to play basketball tonight," Lee said. "I haven't been nervous for a game in five years."
Lee had been out recovering from a strained left hamstring, which forced him to leave after 6 1/2 minutes in his previous appearance against the Los Angeles Clippers. Kerr said the two-time All-Star forward responded well to conversations about coming off the bench, which Lee confirmed.
Draymond Green has played exceptional as the starter, and Kerr sees no reason to change what has worked – which has been just about everything this season.
SPURS 125, CLIPPERS 118
SAN ANTONIO – Tony Parker scored 26 points in his return from a five-game absence, igniting the San Antonio Spurs to a season-high 37 assists and a 125-118 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night.
San Antonio shot a season-high 64 per cent from the field in snapping a four-game skid.
Tim Duncan had 21 points and 12 rebounds, Boris Diaw scored 23 points and Manu Ginobili had 19 points and 10 assists for the Spurs (18-11), who had lost three straight home games in overtime.
Chris Paul had 25 points and nine assists, Blake Griffin added 22 points and J.J. Redick had 21 for the Clippers (19-9), who have lost four straight to San Antonio.
Parker showed no lingering effects from a strained left hamstring that kept him out of eight of the past nine games.
ROCKETS 110, TRAIL BLAZERS 95
HOUSTON – James Harden scored a season-high 44 points to help Houston cruise past Portland and snap a two-game skid.
The Trail Blazers were without leading scorer and rebounder LaMarcus Aldridge, who missed the game with an upper-respiratory illness, and had their five-game winning streak snapped.
Harden had 31 in the first half to help the Rockets erase an early eight-point deficit and take a 20-point halftime lead. It was Harden's NBA-leading third 40-point game this season, with all of them coming this month.
Damian Lillard led Portland with 18 points and CJ McCollum added 17.
HORNETS 110, NUGGETS 82
CHARLOTTE – Al Jefferson scored 22 points, Kemba Walker added 18 points and nine assists, and Charlotte extended its winning streak to a season-high three games.
Rookie P.J. Hairston recorded his first career double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Jefferson and Walker combined to shoot 15 of 25 from the field and didn't play in the fourth quarter with the game well in hand.
Charlotte improved to 3-0 since Gerald Henderson replaced the injured Lance Stephenson in the starting lineup. Stephenson, who has been the subject of trade rumours, is out at least one more game with a groin injury.
Ty Lawson had 18 points for Denver.
HAWKS 105, MAVERICKS 102
DALLAS – Dennis Schroder scored a career-high 22 points and Atlanta held off Dallas.
The Hawks (20-7) won all three games on their road trip. The Southeast Division leaders have a four-game winning streak overall, and have won 13 of their last 14.
All five Atlanta starters scored in double figures. Kyle Korver scored 18, Al Horford had 17, DeMarre Carroll put in 15 and Paul Millsap added 13 points and 12 rebounds.
Monta Ellis led the Mavericks with 18 points, 11 in a fourth quarter when they outscored the Hawks 39-23.
JAZZ 97, GRIZZLIES 91
MEMPHIS – Alec Burks scored 23 points, Gordon Hayward added 21 and Utah handed Memphis its third straight loss.
The Jazz withstood a late push by hitting eight of 10 free throws down the stretch for their third win in the last four.
Derrick Favours finished with 15 points, while Enes Kanter added 13 points and nine rebounds. Rudy Gobert managed only two points, missing five of his six shots, but had a career-best 16 rebounds and two blocks as the Jazz dominated the boards 49-34.
Mike Conley led Memphis with 28 points and his two 3-pointers down the stretch kept the Grizzlies close. Marc Gasol finished with 24 points and 12 rebounds. Courtney Lee had 13 points and Vince Carter added 12 on 4 of 7 shooting.