NEW YORK: Klay Thompson’s blistering performance from three-point range propelled the Golden State Warriors to a 130-111 NBA victory over the injury-depleted Los Angeles Lakers on Monday.
Thompson joined former Denver Nuggets point guard Ty Lawson as the only NBA players to make their first 10 attempts from three-point range, finishing 10-for-11 from beyond the arc and 17-of-20 overall for 44 points before sitting out the fourth quarter.
By then the two-time defending champion Warriors were up 110-80 against a Lakers team missing injured superstar LeBron James along with guards Rajon Rondo and Lonzo Ball.
Kevin Durant added 20 points for the Warriors and Stephen Curry supplied 11 points and 12 assists, but it was Thompson in the spotlight having clearly sorted out the shooting troubles plaguing him in late December.
In Philadelphia, 76ers big man Joel Embiid scored 32 points and grabbed 14 rebounds as the hosts withstood a 37-point performance from James Harden in a 121-93 victory over the Houston Rockets.
Harden notched his 20th straight game with 30 or more points, but the Rockets were no match for the 76ers in a sometimes testy encounter.