UNDATED (AP) — The Golden State Warriors now own the NBA’s best record after topping the No. 2 Phoenix Suns.
Steph Curry had 33 points and Otto Porter Jr. scored seven of his 19 during a key late stretch that sent the Warriors past the Suns, 116-107. Porter sank a step-back 3 and a pair of jumpers in a span of 1:02 to put Golden State in control.
Curry was 5 of 16 from beyond the arc as the Warriors ended Phoenix’s 15-game home winning streak.
Chris Paul had 21 points and eight assists for the Suns, who are a half-game behind Golden State.
In the NBA’s other completed Christmas Day action:
— James Harden had a triple-double in his return to the court and Nic Claxton furnished the go-ahead bucket in the final minute of the Nets’ 122-115 win over the Lakers. Harden had 36 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists for Brooklyn, which wasted a 20-point lead in the fourth quarter. Claxton threw down a tiebreaking alley-oop over LeBron James with 40.7 seconds left. Patty Mills added 34 points for the Nets, who had their past three games postponed because they did not have enough players to compete.
— Donovan Mitchell scored 33 points and the Jazz beat the COVID-19-depleted Mavericks, 120-116. Bojan Bogdanovic scored 25 points and Mike Conley had 22 to lift Utah to the 13th win in its last 15 games. Jalen Brunson scored 27 points and Kristaps Porzingis returned after two games out with a sore toe to tally 27 points for Dallas. The Mavs led 94-92 in the fourth quarter before the Jazz went on a 10-0 run.
— The Bucks were winners in the return of their two-time MVP, storming back from 19 points down for a 117-113 decision over the Celtics. Giannis Antetokounmpo poured in 36 points in his first action since missing five games due to NBA health and safety protocols. He played 30 minutes, shot 13 of 23 from the field and 10 of 15 from the line. Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum each scored 25 for the Celtics, but Boston wasted a 102-90 lead over the final 10:15.
— Kemba Walker and Julius Randle carried the Knicks to their first Christmas Day win in a decade, a 101-87 decision over the COVID-depleted Hawks. Walker delivered 10 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds, making him the seventh player with a triple-double on Christmas. Randle had 25 points and 12 rebounds to help New York end Atlanta’s six-game road winning streak. John Collins and Delon Wright each scored 20 for the Hawks, who were playing without All-Star Trae Young among nine players in NBA health and safety protocols.
