04/05/26 11:53:00
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04/05 23:51 CDT Kevin Durant, Rockets spoil Stephen Curry's return from injury,
beat Warriors 117-116
Kevin Durant, Rockets spoil Stephen Curry's return from injury, beat Warriors
117-116
By JANIE McCAULEY
AP Sports Writer
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) --- Alperen Sengun made the go-ahead layup with 11 seconds
left on a pass from Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets held off Stephen Curry
in his return after being sidelined more than two months for a 117-116 victory
Sunday night.
Curry missed a long, straightaway 3-pointer in the final seconds.
Gary Payton II scored the go-ahead basket on a goaltend by Amen Thompson with
20 seconds left, but Durant took charge on the other end. He finished with 31
points, eight rebounds and eight assists against his former team, making a
crucial 3-pointer with 2:10 remaining.
But he missed with 38 seconds left, and Draymond Green found a cutting Payton
in the key.
Curry dazzled down the stretch to score 29 points on 11-for-21 shooting in 26
minutes after missing 27 straight games because of a right knee injury --- his
first action since Jan. 30 against Detroit.
Curry's driving layup made it a one-point game with 1:27 left then Sengun
converted a three-point play moments later only for Curry to hit a 3 on the
other end.
Curry entered to a warm standing ovation and greetings on the big screen --- he
also expressed his gratitude on video --- when he entered with 4:54 left in the
opening quarter. It marked the first time he has come off the bench in a
regular-season game since March 7, 2012, against Memphis. He last was a reserve
in Game 4 of the first round of the 2022 playoffs during the Warriors' last
championship run.
Things briefly got heated midway through the second quarter when Green and
Jabari Smith Jr. exchanged words and had to be separated. Smith wound up with
23 points and nine rebounds while Sengun added 24 points and Thompson 18 and
seven assists.
Curry and younger brother Seth played together for the first time when Stephen
re-entered the game at the 6:19 mark of the second quarter, the first time two
brothers have been together in Warriors franchise history, according to Elias.
Seth Curry appeared in six preseason games for Golden State in 2013 then played
for the team's G League Santa Cruz Warriors that year --- with the brothers
playing all of 100 seconds together during the fourth quarter of two games
during that '13 preseason.
Up next
Rockets: Visit the Suns on Tuesday night.
Warriors: Host the Kings on Tuesday night.
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA
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