Steph Curry struggles but Golden State Warriors beat Miami Heat, improve to 36-2
The Golden State Warriors beat a hard-fighting Miami Heat squad, 111-103 on Monday (Tuesday in Australia) and improved to a league-best 36-2 record for the season.
Stephen Curry had 31 points but struggled shooting going 11-of-27 from the field but the Warriors had great help from the bench players, especially in the fourth and final quarter.
Reserve big man Marreese Speights scored a total of 6 points for the night but he made three baskets at the start of the fourth to give the Warriors an 86-79 lead.
The Heat battled for most of the game trailing by just two points after the first quarter, 27-25 and after the first half, 56-54. The Warriors also led by just three points after three quarters, 80-77 before Speights, who played just 6 minutes the entire game, made his timely contributions.
The Warriors pushed the advantage to double-digits by mid-quarter and the Heat never seriously threatened for a comeback on the road.
Draymond Green had a double-double of 22 points and 12 rebounds with 6 assists while Klay Thompson had 17 points, 7 rebounds and 2 steals for the Warriors, who remained perfect at home this season in 18 games at the Oracle Arena.
Australian Andrew Bogut had 8 points, 9 rebounds and a blocked shot in 21 minutes on the floor.
For the Heat, Dwyane Wade posted his own double-double of 20 points and 11 assists while five other players scored in double-figures. Chris Bosh and Gerald Green each had 15 points while Goran Dragic had 13 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists.
Miami, who were playing without starting centre Hassan Whiteside, has lost three of their last four games and are in the middle of a six-game road trip with upcoming match-ups against the Los Angeles Clippers, Denver Nuggets and Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Warriors have won 36 straight home games dating back to last season. Golden State plays three of their next four games on the road including a match-up with the 2015 NBA Finals nemesis Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday.