Instant Replay: Warriors, Curry soar right past Suns

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BOX SCORE

Three days after going where no NBA team has ever gone, the Warriors on Friday outdid themselves by going where no major American professional sports team has gone.

By hanging a 135-116 defeat on the Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena, the Warriors upped their record to 17-0, becoming the first team in the NBA, NFL, NHL or MLB to open a season with 17 consecutive victories in the regular season.

Steph Curry led the charge, scoring 41 points, his fifth game this season of 40 or more. Leandro Barbosa came off the bench to score a season-high 21, while Klay Thompson put in 15 and Draymond Green added 14.

The Warriors fired in 15 3-pointers in the first half, establishing an NBA record. They shot 15-of-20 on treys for the half and 22-of-38 from for the game. The 22 3-pointers represent a franchise record.

Green and Curry were the only Warriors starters to exceed 27 minutes in a game they led from tipoff to final buzzer in pushing their overall win streak to 21.

The Warriors shot 56.8 percent overall to offset a season-high 24 turnovers.

STANDOUT PERFORMER

Curry takes the honor because, well, he owned this game.

His 41 points came on 11-of-20 shooting, including 9-of-16 from beyond the arc. He added eight assists, six rebounds and two steals.

Green submitted a triple-double – 14 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists – before leaving with 2:50 left in the game.

TURNING POINT

The Warriors built a 10-point lead (18-8) less than six minutes after tipoff and raised it to 20 later in the first quarter. They led by as much as 26.

Once the Warriors established an early lead, the Suns never got closer than 10 (67-57, 2:05 left in the first half) over the final three quarters.

INJURY UPDATE

Warriors: F Harrison Barnes sustained a left ankle sprain with 9:03 remaining in the third quarter and did not return. F James Michael McAdoo was a healthy inactive. F Kevon Looney (hip surgery) remains out indefinitely.

Suns: C Tyson Chandler started but left in the first quarter after straining his right hamstring. He did not return.

WHAT’S NEXT

The Warriors return to action Saturday, when the play host to the Sacramento Kings at Oracle Arena.

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