The Rockets stood up to the NBA's top team, but the Warriors showed once again they're usually up for the test.
The teams entered the fourth quarter of their late-Tuesday contest tied, but the Warriors came out on top 123-110. Stephen Curry finished with 35 points, six rebounds and nine assists. Nineteen of those points came in the first quarter, as he helped the Warriors get off to a 47-26 lead.
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But the Rockets, led by James Harden (37 points), outscored the Warriors 66-51 in the second and third quarters to tie the game at 93 to start the fourth.
The Warriors responded with an 8-0 run in the first two minutes of the final frame, and maintained a double-digit lead throughout most of the quarter to win with ease.
The victory gave Golden State its 42nd consecutive regular-season home win, second only to the Bulls' streak from the 1995-96 season.
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The Warriors managed to win with Draymond Green and Klay Thompson having below-average offensive nights, combining for 21 points. Harrison Barnes played well, however, scoring 19 and hitting several big shots in the second half.
"He stayed in it, focused, took advantage of the opportunity in the beginning of the fourth quarter and made a lot of huge plays," Curry told TNT after the game.
Studs of the Night
John Wall took over Tuesday night against the Knicks. The All-Star point guard scored 28 points and dished out 17 assists as the Wizards held on for a 111-108 win.
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Greg Monroe had a huge night off the bench, putting up 29 points and 12 rebounds as the Bucks beat the Celtics 112-111.
Dud of the Night
Thompson scored just 13 points on 5-of-19 shooting. He missed all seven of his 3-point attempts.
Highlight of the Night
Gordon Hayward finished with 20 points, but none were bigger than these two. The Jazz beat the Mavericks 121-119 in overtime on this bucket.
Killer stepback by Gordon Hayward for the win! pic.twitter.com/E7WFD3rMkD
— CBS Sports NBA (@CBSSportsNBA) February 10, 2016
Looking ahead
Lakers (11-43) at Cavaliers (37-14), 8 p.m. ET: Normally the top team in one conference against the worst team in the other conference is a throwaway game. But this won’t be any old “first vs. worst,” as it marks the final regular-season matchup between Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.