Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors celebrates after scoring a basket during second-half action against the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday. The Warriors won 116-99. (AFP)

DPA/Los Angeles


The Charlotte Hornets might have taken time during Wednesday’s game to honour the father of Stephen Curry, but that didn’t mean the Golden State Warriors’ hotshot was about to go easy on them.
Indeed, Curry stole the show, with the reigning league most valuable player firing in 28 of his 40 points in the game-breaking 33-21 third quarter before sitting out the final frame, helping the Warriors extend their NBA-record winning streak to 20-0 so far this season with a 116-99 victory over the Hornets.
“To be able to put on a run like this is special. It says a lot about our focus night in and night out,” Curry explained. “We have to step back and see what 20-0 means. We have to understand how we’re winning and we have to bottle it up for the rest of the year.”
The victory was even sweeter, Curry said, because it was the same night that his father, Dell, was honoured for being the Hornets’ all-time leading scorer during his 1988-98 career with the team. The honour was performed at the halftime ceremony.
The younger Curry did his best to live up to his father’s memory, single-handedly outscoring the Hornets by seven in the third quarter.  
He also hit 14 of 18 field goals and eight of 11 3-pointers in just 31 minutes for his sixth game of 40 or more points this season. “I can’t ask for more,” Curry said. “To play like I did, get the win on top of my father’s ceremony. It was really, really special.”
Curry also connected on 10-of-11 floor shots and all five from behind the arc. The league top scorer provided the Warriors’ final 24 points, staking the defending NBA Champs to a comfortable 93-70 cushion entering the final frame, helping them keep their perfect record.
“The third quarter was a nice little flurry,” Curry said. “I think I got a little spark from my dad’s ceremony and it might have gotten me going.”
“Steph was incredible. Forty points in only three quarters and to do it in his hometown,” Warriors interim head coach Luke Walton said.  “That’s why he’s MVP of the league.”
With their 24th consecutive win, dating back to last season, the Warriors own the third-longest streak in NBA history, behind the 27 by the 2010-11 Miami Heat and the all-time mark of 33 authored by the 1971-72 LA Lakers.  
“We’re just working to get better,” Walton said. “We don’t talk about it. We’re not focusing on the actual streak and I think that’s why we keep racking up the wins.” Klay Thompson had 21 points for Golden State, while Frenchman Nicolas Batum topped Charlotte (10-8) with 17.
Elsewhere...
LA Lakers 108, Washington Wizards 104: Kobe Bryant tossed in 12 of his season-high 31 points in the fourth quarter, including the go-ahead triple with 58 seconds left. The struggling Lakers (3-15) beat the host Wizards (7-9) to stop a six-game slide despite John Wall’s 34-point, 11-assist effort.

Chicago Bulls 99, Denver Nuggets 90: Spaniard Pau Gasol had 26 points with 19 rebounds and the host Bulls (11-5) sent the sliding Nuggets (6-13) to their eighth straight defeat.
Toronto Raptors 96, Atlanta Hawks 86: Kyle Lowry fired in 22 of his season-high 31 points in the pivotal 39-20 fourth quarter and the visiting Raptors (12-7) stormed from 17 down in the third to clip the Hawks (12-9) for their fifth win in six games.
Houston Rockets 108, New Orleans Pelicans 101: James Harden scored 24 points, Dwight Howard grabbed 16 rebounds and the host Rockets (8-11) rallied from an early 14-point deficit to beat the Pelicans (4-15) led by Anthony Davis’ 29-point, 13 rebound effort.
New York Knicks 99, Philadelphia 76ers 87: Latvian rookie centre Kristaps Porzingis had 17 points with 10 rebounds and the Knicks (9-10) ended a four-game skid after beating the Sixers (1-18), who were playing without rookie Jahlil Okafor. The Sixers suspended their leading scorer for two games the same day a second video was released of his fight with a man outside a Boston nightclub last week that the 19-year-old hadn’t revealed to them.
Detroit Pistons 127, Phoenix Suns 122 (OT): Reggie Jackson scored eight of his 34 points in overtime to go along with 16 assists, Marcus Morris added 24 points with 14 rebounds, and the Pistons (10-9) stormed from 16 down in the fourth quarter to shade the visiting Suns (8-12).
San Antonio Spurs 95, Milwaukee Bucks 70: Tim Duncan had 16 points and 10 rebounds in an efficient 20 minutes and the Spurs (15-4) improved to 10-0 at home after holding the visiting Bucks (7-12) to a season-low point total.
Indiana 103, LA Clippers 91: Paul George poured in 31 points to lead six teammates in double figures and the visiting Pacers (12-5) rolled to their sixth straight win, while snapping the Clippers’ (10-9) three-game success—minus All-Star guard Chris Paul because of a rib cage injury.