Warriors beat Pacers 103-92 for 3rd straight win

By MICHAEL WAGAMAN

Associated Press

OAKLAND, Calif. — Golden State got a big game from Stephen Curry, a solid effort by David Lee and another strong fourth quarter.

This is becoming quite the routine for the Warriors, who beat the Indiana Pacers 103-92 on Saturday night for their third consecutive victory.

“We just play until the buzzer sounds,” said Jarrett Jack, who had 18 points, including a 57-foot heave from beyond midcourt at the end of the third quarter. “That’s kind of the mentality that’s been sticking with us all season long. We just try to preach that when we get up on a team we can’t let them hang around.”

Golden State led by 16 in the third quarter, then held off a mini-rally by Indiana at the start of the fourth before pulling away for the win.

Ian Mahinmi made a layup and two free throws to help the Pacers close to 82-76. Jack answered with a short floater in the lane, fellow reserve Carl Landry followed with a dunk, and Indiana got no closer than seven the rest of the way.

Curry had 20 points and a season-high 11 assists while Klay Thompson scored 22 points for the surprising Warriors, who remain tied with the Los Angeles Clippers for first place in the Pacific Division.

It was Curry’s second straight 20-10 game and marked his first back-to-back double-doubles since his rookie season.

“I’m trying to be aggressive whatever happens … and guys are making shots,” Curry said. “It’s been a good offensive rhythm the last couple of games. Picking up the tempo has been a big emphasis for us.”

Lee added 13 points and 12 rebounds for his ninth double-double of the season. Landry added 16 points for the Warriors, who improved 7-0 when they are tied or have the lead after three quarters.

David West scored 23 points and George Hill had 19 for the Pacers.

“The Warriors just got hot, especially Curry and the other perimeter players,” Indiana coach Frank Vogel said. “Those guys killed us. We guarded the paint the way we wanted but we couldn’t stop the perimeter guys. They spread you out.”

Curry took nine shots through the first three quarters and seemed content feeding his teammates before making two key 3-pointers over the final 3:01 to help Golden State to its seventh win in nine games. He finished 7 of 14 from the floor.

Indiana, making its third stop on a four-game road trip, made one final push behind a pair of buckets by West but couldn’t get closer than six points in the fourth quarter.

Golden State got a big boost from its reserves, with Jack and Landry leading the way.

Swept by the Pacers in 2011, the Warriors pulled away in the second quarter following a 12-2 run. Landry had six points during the surge on back-to-back three-point plays, and Draymond Green’s tip-in gave Golden State a 32-23 lead.

Indiana’s defense prevented it from getting out of hand.

The Pacers held the Warriors to one basket over 6 minutes, forced 11 first-half turnovers and used a 17-6 run to move in front. Roy Hibbert scored on a dunk, jump hook and two free throws, while Hill had a 19-foot jumper that made it 42-41.

Curry helped Golden State to a strong finish to the half, and the Warriors got a lift from Thompson and two rookies early in the third. Thompson made a pair of 3s, Harrison Barnes followed with long jumper and Festus Ezeli later scored on a dunk to extend the Warriors’ lead to 67-54.

Indiana closed to 77-72 in the third before Jack responded with a driving layup and his buzzer-beating 3 from beyond midcourt. Jack, who scored Golden State’s final eight points of the period, crouched low and posed on the Warriors logo and slapped hands with Green as the Oracle Arena crowd roared.

“It was honestly just a heave,” Jack said. “I thought it was going to go in off the backboard. I think I’ve been due for one all year. A couple of them have rimmed in and out.”

Hibbert had 15 points and seven rebounds for Indiana, while Mahinmi finished with 10 points.