Golden State Warriors forward Mareesse Speights lost his shoe. It's about all he and his teammates have lost over the last month.
The Warriors extended a franchise record with their 15th straight NBA win on Saturday, racing to a big early lead and easily holding on for a 105-98 road victory over the Dallas Mavericks.
Stephen Curry had 29 points and eight assists and Klay Thompson scored 25 points for Golden State (20-2), who haven't lost since November 11 against San Antonio. The Warriors totally outclassed the Mavericks (17-8), who lead the NBA in offense.
"Dallas is the leading scoring team in the league, we have this winning streak going and this was a logical place for it to end," Warriors first-year coach Steve Kerr said.
"Our guys embraced that kind of challenge." The biggest challenge from Dallas came right before one of the strangest moments in any game this season. The Mavs used a 20-7 run to cut a 26-point deficit to 77-64 with 4:20 left in the third quarter.
Speights lost his shoe and continued to play without it. Curry retrieved it and tried to throw it to Speights, but Dallas centre Tyson Chandler swatted it away, drawing a roar from the crowd.
"That was probably the best defensive play of the night," said Mavs superstar Dirk Nowitzki of Germany, who scored 23 points.
Momentum swung after the incident as Golden State's Draymond Green scored eight points in a 10-2 burst. The Warriors took an 87-68 lead into the final period, and the Mavs got no closer than the final margin.
Andrew Bogut again sat out the match for the Warriors, the Australian still bothered by a knee injury and also with a touch of the flu.
Green had 20 points and eight rebounds and Harrison Barnes added 12 and nine for Golden State, who shot 45 percent (37-of-83) in its ninth straight road win.
Richard Jefferson had 13 points and 13 rebounds and Chandler added 11 and 12 for Dallas, who shot 40 percent (36-of-89), including just 5-of-25 from the arc.
Elsewhere the Memphis Grizzlies beat the Philadelphia 76ers 120-115 in overtime.
Mike Conley scored a career-high 36 points, including the tying three-pointer at the regulation buzzer before snaring the clinching three-pointer in overtime.
Michael Carter-Williams had a triple-double with 16 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists for the 76ers, who fell to 0-12 at home.
In other matches the Houston Rockets downed the Denver Nuggets 108-96; Orlando Magic edged the Atlanta Hawks 100-99; Milwaukee Bucks tipped the Los Angeles Clippers 111-106; Portland Trail Blazers had a comfortable 95-85 win over the Indiana Pacers; Brooklyn Nets thrashed Charlotte Hornets 114-87 and Detroit Pistons scraped home over the Sacramento Kings 95-90.
Share
