Golden State came from 15 points down to deny Josh Giddey his first NBA win with Oklahoma and seal the Warriors’ best season start since they won their first 24 games of the 2015 season.
Australia’s No.6 draft pick Giddey had seven points, nine rebounds, four assists, one steal and a blocked shot as the young Thunder took it to Steph Curry’s unbeaten side.
But a 33-17 third quarter bit them, the Warriors surging home behind 23 Curry points and 20 off the bench from Damion Lee in the 106-98 road win.
Golden State improved to 4-0 for the first time since their 24-0 start in 2015-16, when they finished the regular season with an NBA best 73-9 record.
Joe Ingles’ Utah Jazz held their nerve in a 122-110 victory over Denver to move to 3-0, the Boomers sharpshooter a steady hand in the second half after the Nuggets hit the lead.
Ingles hit his 1000th career NBA three-pointer on his way to 13 points on 66 per cent shooting to go with five rebounds and four assists.
Rudy Gobert paired 23 points with 16 rebounds and the Nuggets were powered by 24 Nikola Jokic points in a well-rounded display.
In New York chants of “Where’s Ben Simmons” reverberated at Madison Square Garden as Philadelphia (2-2) went down 112-99 to the New York Knicks (3-1), who snapped a 15-game losing streak against the 76ers.
Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier’s arrival at the Knicks proved key, while Australian All-Star Simmons’ absence continues to build pressure on the 76ers.
Unable to secure an off-season trade, Simmons has returned to Philadelphia but reportedly told teammates he was not yet mentally prepared to play.
“Clearly they’re a better offensive team because they have more shot makers. They have more playmakers,” Sixers coach Doc Rivers said of the Knicks.
“That’s one thing about Kemba and Fournier. They’re not just scorers. They’re playmakers and the more playmakers you can add to a team, the better. We didn’t have any playmakers tonight.”
Jock Landale wasn’t used in San Antonio’s 123-121 overtime loss to Los Angeles, with Anthony Davis the star with 35 points and 17 rebounds as LeBron James (ankle) sat out.
And fellow Boomer Josh Green was scoreless in almost four minutes of action as his Dallas Mavericks beat Houston 116-106.
Luka Doncic starred for the Mavericks with 26 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists.
AAP
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