OAKLAND (AP) — Stephen Curry had 31 points with seven 3-pointers and nine assists, Kevin Durant scored 28 and the Golden State Warriors found an astonishing first-half offensive flow to run away from the undermanned Los Angeles Lakers 149-106 on Wednesday night.
The Warriors’ franchise-record 47 assists — on 53 baskets — are the most in the NBA this season and their most in more than 22 years.
Golden State had 26 assists on 29 baskets before the break, as in sync as the Warriors have been since adding Durant during the offseason and far better than when they took a 20-point beating at Los Angeles less than three weeks ago.
Klay Thompson added 26 points with four 3s and Ian Clark scored 21 off the bench, while Draymond Green dished out 11 assists to go with nine boards and five points in the Warriors’ ninth straight victory.
Rookie No. 2 overall draft pick Brandon Ingram scored a career-best 16 points in his first start for Los Angeles, which had no answers defensively as Golden State shot 61.6 percent with 19 3-pointers.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr has repeatedly noted it might take time for his team to really click, yet at 15 games in Golden State was in top form — at least for one spectacular night of basketball.
And first-year Lakers coach Luke Walton had to watch the onslaught from the other side this time. The former top assistant for Golden State returned to Oracle Arena and saw his old guys thoroughly dominate a young, beat-up Los Angeles squad that got more bad injury news regarding point guard D’Angelo Russell’s knee injury.
Walton spent the first 43 games last season as Golden State interim coach while eventual Coach of the Year Kerr took a prolonged leave of absence dealing with complications following two back surgeries. Walton guided the Warriors to a record 24-0 start and 39-4 overall record while in charge.
Golden State’s assists were their most since getting 45 against Minnesota on April 1, 1994.
Curry shot 11 of 18 and 7 for 12 from beyond the arc. The two-time reigning MVP already set the single-season 3-point record with 13 on the way to 46 points in a Nov. 7 win against New Orleans — three days after going 0 for 10 from long range against the Lakers to have his streak with at least one 3 snapped at 157 regular-season games.
Lou Williams and Jordan Clarkson also scored 16 apiece for the Lakers.
WALTON’S WARM WELCOME
Walton waved and smiled as fans cheered and jumped to their feet for a standing ovation when he was introduced before tipoff. They brought back their chant of “Luuuuuuuke!” that kind of sounds like boos.
“It is a little weird. It’s more strange tonight than it was in L.A., walking into this building, pulling up on a bus, seeing the fans, seeing some of the same security guards, being in the other locker room,” Walton said.
BUSY DAY FOR KERR
After morning shootaround, Kerr met up with Walton in Berkeley, then had the chance to attend the University of California volleyball team’s senior day in the afternoon to support his daughter, Maddy, in her final home match for the Golden Bears at Haas Pavilion — then hustle to Oracle for the game.
“The timing worked out well,” Kerr said.
TIP-INS
Lakers: Russell will be out for at least two more weeks after getting a platelet-rich plasma injection in his sore left knee. Jose Calderon started for the third time in Russell’s absence. In addition, F Julius Randle was out with a hip pointer.
Warriors: Golden State shot 62.5 percent in its big first quarter, hitting 6 of 10 3s, and 61.7 percent in the first half. ... The Warriors have a franchise-record nine straight games with 30 or more assists and 11 of 15 this season. It’s the longest consecutive game streak with 30-plus assists since Charlotte’s NBA-record 13 in 1989.
UP NEXT
These teams see each other again very soon, as in back-to-back games: Friday night at Staples Center, with the Warriors flying out to Southern California on Thanksgiving evening.
Asked about a tough upcoming trip with four of five away from home, Walton quipped, “I’ll take the road over the Warriors.”
