Warriors switch gears to beat Wizards for 9th straight win

LOS ANGELES, USA – Stephen Curry made a timely return to finish with 38 points as the Golden State Warriors won their season-high ninth straight with a 126-118 victory over the Washington Wizards in the NBA on Thursday, January 24 (Friday, January 25, Manila time).

With Curry on the bench in the 4th quarter, the Wizards cut the Warriors’ lead to just two, 108-106, but the two-time defending NBA champions pulled away after he re-entered the game.

Kevin Durant delivered 21 points on 9-of-18 shooting from the floor as the Warriors switched gears against the Wizards from their successful three-point attack to an inside game.

“We are trying to create momentum,” Curry said. “We understand what it means to win a championship. There are great challenges for us to focus in on.”

East Coast trip started in our favor.

Relive tonight’s win with the @verizon Game Rewind  pic.twitter.com/My3K7l85wc

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) January 25, 2019

The Warriors had been dominating opponents with their three-point shooting but after shooting just 1-of-6 from beyond the arc in the 1st quarter they adjusted nicely, finishing with 70 points in the paint.

Curry sank just 2-of-8 three-point attempts but ended up shooting 12-of-16 from two-point range.

Just one game after tying the NBA record by making his first 10 three-pointers, Klay Thompson went 1-for-4.

Curry said teams are starting to adapt their defense to stopping the three-point attack.

“Teams are adjusting,” Curry said. “We still got good looks.”

Center DeMarcus Cousins had 17 points in 24 minutes in his third game with the Warriors since being sidelined almost a full year with a ruptured left Achilles tendon.

“It is just amazing. He misses a year and 3 games back he is starting to pick up his rhythm,” said Curry, who scored 30-plus points for the 19th time this season. “We will continue to get better and he will continue to get better.”

Trevor Ariza led the Wizards with a season-high 27 points and Bradley Beal had 22 points as their two-game winning streak came to a halt. – Rappler.com