Curry's Shot Lifts Warriors Over Celtics
OAKLAND (CBS / AP) -- Stephen Curry hit a go-ahead jumper with 2.1 seconds left, lifting the Golden State Warriors over the skidding Boston Celtics 99-97 on Friday night in their first game back home after a long road trip.
Curry came off a pick-and-roll with David Lee before hitting the high-arching shot over center Kris Humphries to electrify the sellout crowd of 19,596. Gerald Wallace missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer, sending Boston to its seventh straight loss.
Two nights after its 10-game winning streak ended at Brooklyn, Golden State gave its home fans another memory to savor.
Andre Iguodala had 22 points, seven assists and five rebounds, and Curry finished with 19 points, seven rebounds and four assists for a worn-out Warriors team that badly needs some rest.
Golden State was 6-1 on its extended road trip and doesn't play again until Wednesday night at home against Denver.
The Warriors entered the night having played an NBA-high 23 road games compared to 15 home games, meaning the more favorable portion of the schedule is ahead. Golden State began a stretch of 11 of 15 at Oracle Arena before the All-Star break, though things didn't start off easy at home.
The Warriors appeared to put the game away with a 19-3 run at the end of the third and start of the fourth quarter to go ahead by 13 points.
But Boston kept on coming, getting a pair of big shots -- and a big block -- by Humphries down the stretch. The Celtics cut the Warriors' lead to 89-88 on Jordan Crawford's 3-pointer, and after Golden State started to pull away again, Jeff Green hit a 3 to bring Boston to 94-93 with 2:13 remaining.
Iguodala answered with a fadeaway while getting fouled by Green, though he missed the free throw. Crawford came back with a pull-up shot, then Draymond Green missed a jumper for the Warriors.
Iguodala stole the ball from Jared Sullinger on the ensuing possession, and after Curry missed a difficult jumper, Lee tapped out a rebound to give Golden State another possession. Harrison Barnes was fouled following a timeout and made one of two free throws to put the Warriors ahead 97-95 with 19.6 seconds left.
Green made the tying jumper with 11.6 seconds to play for Boston, getting a friendly bounce off the rim. Curry then came back with another shot in a young career already full of them, kissing his fingers following the swish that gave Golden State the victory.
Green finished with 24 points and 11 rebounds, and Sullinger had 21 points and 11 rebounds for Boston, which has lost 10 of 11. Boston also is 0-4 on its five-game road trip, which ends Saturday night at Portland.
Golden State started with some hop in its step.
Curry completed a rare dunk on a runaway fast break to give the Warriors a 10-2 lead in the opening minutes. But the second unit couldn't sustain the momentum, continuing a troubling trend this season.
The Celtics went ahead by six in the second quarter behind the smooth shooting of Sullinger, who scored 14 in the period. Boston led 49-47 at halftime.
Warriors reserve Marreese Speights scored the final six points of the third quarter to start the Golden State surge. Curry and Iguodala added a few highlights at the start of the fourth, and Golden State held on at the finish.
NOTES: Celtics PG Rajon Rondo, who is rehabbing his surgically repaired right knee, told reporters at the team's morning shootaround that he hopes to make his season debut before the All-Star break. ... Warriors reserve Draymond Green received nine stitches after getting elbowed in the mouth. He returned in the third quarter. ... Warriors coach Mark Jackson said Jermaine O'Neal is closer to coming back than fellow backup center Festus Ezeli, though he declined to offer specifics. O'Neal had arthroscopic surgery on a torn ligament in his right wrist Dec. 13, while Ezeli has not played this season while he recovers from right knee surgery.
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