SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Stephen Curry scored 25 points in 20-plus minutes, Yaxel Lendeborg had 23 points, seven rebounds and four assists, and the Golden State Warriors won their eighth straight game by running away from the undermanned New Orleans Pelicans early for a 138-87 victory Monday night.
Brandin Podziemski added 25 points while Curry wound up 6 for 10 with four 3-pointers coming off a 41-point performance in Saturday’s 126-119 overtime win against Orlando. He passed DeMar DeRozan (26,800) for 16th place on the NBA’s career scoring list with 26,803.
Golden State had three players with at least 20 points for the second time this season and the Warriors finished with 30 or more assists — 37 — for the third straight game and fifth in the last six. They are 6-0 when doing so.
Injured guard Jimmy Butler dressed up like a member of the coaching staff and held a clipboard, writing “PASS TO STEPH” on it.
Derik Queen scored 16 points off the bench and Dejounte Murray added 12 points for the Pelicans, who were out of the game almost from the tipoff and trailed 72-43 at halftime on the way to losing a third straight after a four-game winning streak.
Golden State led 35-20 after one quarter as New Orleans shot just 7 of 23 and missed 10 of 12 3-point tries. The Warriors built a 23-point lead early in the second as Podziemski scored four quick points and rolled from there.
Charles Bassey contributed 12 points and 10 rebounds off the bench and De’Anthony Melton scored 16 with four 3s.
Lendeborg and Pelicans guard Jordan Poole, both former Michigan stars, traded jerseys afterward.
New Orleans rested Zion Williamson a night after a 139-123 road loss to the Clippers and Trey Murphy III also sat out to manage his troublesome knees after he scored 26 in Los Angeles on Sunday.
The Warriors lost second-year guard Will Richard to a torn ligament in his left thumb and the team said he would weigh his options over the next week on whether to have surgery or wear a splint while playing.
Up next
Pelicans: Host Brooklyn on Wednesday night.
Warriors: At Houston on Wednesday night.
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By JANIE McCAULEY
AP Sports Writer
