Thompson re-writes record books as Warriors win again
James Harden also impressed once more but could not prevent the Houston Rockets from slumping to defeat.
Klay Thompson produced a record-breaking display of three-point shooting for the in-form Golden State Warriors on a night when James Harden again shone in a losing cause for the Houston Rockets.
Thompson became the first player in NBA history to convert his first 10 three-point attempts en route to a 44-point total in Golden State’s 130-111 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.
The 28-year-old guard missed his 11th and final effort but it mattered little as the the reigning NBA champions made it eight wins on the trot.
Harden also had another night to remember as he scored more than 30 points for the 20th consecutive game.
However, his 37-point haul was not enough to prevent the Rockets from slumping to a fifth defeat in their last nine games as they were sunk 121-93 by the Philadelphia 76ers.
Joel Embiid scored 32 points and grabbed 14 rebounds for the Sixers, who outscored their opponents 29-13 in the third quarter to wrap up the win.
Kyrie Irving finished with 26 points and 10 assists and Al Horford added 16 points and 12 rebounds as the Boston Celtics won their fourth game in a row, beating the Miami Heat 107-99.
Two other starters – Jayson Tatum and Marcus Morris – also scored in double figures for the Celtics, while Derrick Jones Jr and Dion Waiters top-scored for the Heat with 18 points apiece.
Giannis Antetokounmpo helped the Milwaukee Bucks to their fifth straight win with 31 points and 15 rebounds in a 116-106 victory over the Dallas Mavericks, while the Oklahoma City Thunder condemned the New York Knicks to their sixth loss in a row in a 127-109 result.
The Brooklyn Nets continued their purple patch with a fifth consecutive win as they emerged 123-94 victors over the Sacramento Kings.
Also, the Chicago Bulls saw off the Cleveland Cavaliers 104-88 and Trevor Ariza recorded 20 points and 12 rebounds as the Washington Wizards downed the Detroit Pistons 101-87.
Nikola Vucevic contributed 29 points and 14 rebounds as the Orlando Magic beat the Atlanta Hawks 122-103, the New Orleans Pelicans beat the Memphis Grizzlies 105-85, and the Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Utah Jazz 109-104 despite a game-high 36 points from Donovan Mitchell.
